The Four Beasts of Daniel and God's Hidden Anger

[3] Bar Kappara opened: "And in that day the Lord, the LORD of hosts, called to weeping and to mourning, and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth" (Isaiah 22:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: A king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he hangs sackcloth upon his entrance. He said to them: I too do so, "I clothe the heavens with blackness, [and the rest]" (Isaiah 50:3). And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he extinguishes the lamps. He said to them: I too do so, "the sun and moon are darkened, [and the rest]" (Joel 4:15). And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said: he walks barefoot. He said to them: I too do so, "The LORD, His way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the cloud, [and the rest]" (Nahum 1:3). And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he sits and is silent. He said to them: I too do so, "He sits alone and is silent, because He has laid it upon him" (Lamentations 3:28). And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he overturns the couches. He said to them: I too do so, "I beheld until the thrones were cast down" (Daniel 7:9). And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he rends his purple robe. He said to them: I too do so, "The LORD has done that which He devised; He has carried out His word" (Lamentations 2:17). What is "He has carried out His word" [betza imrato]? Rabbi Jacob of Kefar Hanan said: He rends His purple robe. And again He asked them: a king of flesh and blood who is in mourning, what does he do? They said to Him: he sits and laments. He said to them: I too do so, "How does she sit alone" (Lamentations 1:1).