Caesarea and Jerusalem and the Fourfold Redemption Through the First

Caesarea and Jerusalem: if a person says to you that both are destroyed, or that both are settled, do not believe him; but if he says Caesarea is destroyed and Jerusalem is settled, believe him, as it is said, "I shall be filled now that she is laid waste" (Ezekiel 26:2), and it is written, "and one people shall be stronger than the other people" (Genesis 25:23) [when one rises, the other falls]. "And her days to give birth were fulfilled" (Genesis 25:24): here it is written defectively [va-yimleu, without the letter for completeness], and there, regarding Tamar, in full, "and behold, there were twins [teomim] in her womb" (Genesis 38:27) is written full, because both Perez and Zerah were wholly righteous; but here Esau and Jacob, one righteous and one wicked. "And the first came out red" (Genesis 25:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In the merit of "first" I will reveal Myself to you first, and punish the first for you, and build the first for you, and bring the first for you. In the merit of "and you shall take for yourselves on the first day" (Leviticus 23:40), I will reveal Myself to you first, "I am the first and I am the last" (Isaiah 44:6). And I will punish the first for you, "and the first came out red" [Esau-Edom]. And I will build the first for you, this is the Temple, as it is said, "a throne of glory on high from the first" (Jeremiah 17:12). And I will bring the first for you, this is the King Messiah, as it is said, "the first to Zion, behold, here they are" (Isaiah 41:27).