“A princess among the nations,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because Israel violated the terms that they accepted at Sinai, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Sinai is lamas, the numerical value of this equals the numerical value of that.53Sinai: samekh – 60, yod – 10, nun – 50, yod – 10 = 130. Lamas: Lamed – 30, mem – 30, samekh – 60 = 130. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman said: Because Israel engaged in idol worship, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Lamas is figure [semel]. The letters of this are the letters of that.54Lamed, mem, samekh, and samekh, mem, lamed. The Rabbis say: Lamas, the melting [lemassa] of the heart.Rav Ukeva said: On the eve of the ninth of Av, Abraham entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies. The Holy One blessed be He grasped his hand and was strolling with him long and short.55He discussed with Abraham every facet of Israel’s merits and demerits in light of the impending destruction (Etz Yosef). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “What has My beloved to do in My Temple?” (Jeremiah 11:15). He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, my children, where are they?’ He said to him: ‘They sinned and I exiled them among the nations.’ He said to Him: ‘Were there no righteous among them?’ He said to him: “She has performed her evil schemes” (Jeremiah 11:15). He said to Him: ‘You should have looked at the good ones among them.’ He said to him: ‘Most of them were wicked, as it is written: “She has performed her evil schemes with multitudes” (Jeremiah 11:15).’ He said to Him: ‘You should have looked to the circumcision in their flesh.’ He said to him: ‘As you live, they repudiated it, as it is stated: “The sacred flesh is passed from you” (Jeremiah 11:15). Moreover, these rejoiced at the downfall of those, as it is written: “When you beheld evil, then you rejoice” (Jeremiah 11:15), and it is written: “One who rejoices at calamity will not be absolved” (Proverbs 17:5).’ Why was the scroll of Lamentations stated as an alphabetical acrostic? Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: Because it is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11), which is written [with letters] from alef through tav; therefore, the scroll was written alphabetically, one corresponding to the other.