The Guardian Angels Who Watched Over Israel's Grief

[3] "What shall I take to witness for you, and to what shall I liken you?" (Lamentations 2:13). "What shall I take to witness for you" -- how many prophets I caused to testify among you. Rabbi says: one prophet in the morning and one prophet at evening, this is what is written, "And the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah by the hand of every prophet, every seer" (2 Kings 17:13) -- "prophets" is written. And Rabbi Nathan says: two prophets in the morning and two prophets at evening, "rising early and sending" (Jeremiah 7:25) in the morning, "rising early and sending" (ibid.) at evening. Another interpretation: "What shall I take to witness for you" (Lamentations ibid.) -- how many adornments I adorned you with [reading aidekh, "witness," as "adorn"], for Rabbi Yohanan said: on the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, descended upon Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, six hundred thousand ministering angels descended with Him, and each and every one of them had a crown in his hand to crown Israel. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: one million two hundred thousand, one to clothe him with a crown and one to gird him with weapons. Rabbi Huna the Great of Sepphoris said: to gird him, as you say, "He looses the bond of kings and binds a girdle upon their loins" (Job 12:18). Another interpretation: "What shall I take to witness for you" (Lamentations 2:13) -- how many spoils I gave you: the spoil of Egypt, the spoil of the Sea, the spoil of Sihon and Og, the spoil of the thirty-one kings. Another interpretation: "What shall I take to witness for you" (ibid.) -- how many appointed meetings I appointed for you [reading aidekh as "appointed meetings"]: the Tent of Meeting, Gilgal, and Shiloh, and Nob, and Gibeon, and the eternal House, twice. "And to what shall I liken you?" (ibid.) -- to which nation did I liken you? Which nation did I redeem with a mighty hand and bring upon its enemies ten plagues? For which nation did I split the Sea? For which nation did I cause the quail to rush? Which nation did I bring near before Mount Sinai and give it My Torah? Which nation did I surround with clouds of glory? "O daughter of Jerusalem" (ibid.) -- the daughter who is in awe of Me and makes whole for Me. "That I may comfort you" (ibid.), as Rabbi Jacob bar Avuna said: when I make you whole, then I will comfort you. "O virgin daughter of Zion" (ibid.) -- children who are marked for Me by circumcision, and by the head-shaving, and by the fringes. "For your breaking is great like the sea; who can heal you?" (ibid.) -- Rabbi Halfai said: He who is destined to heal the breaking of the sea, He will heal you. Rabbi Joshua son of Rabbi Nehemiah said: He of whom you said at the sea, "Who is like You" (Exodus 15:11), He will heal you. Rabbi Abin said: "Who can heal you?" -- "your prophets have seen for you false and foolish visions" (Lamentations 2:13, 14). And the Rabbis say: "Who can heal you?" -- your prophets.