"The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise"

75. Rabbi Acha was walking with Rabbi Yehuda on the way. As they were walking, Rabbi Yehuda said, We have learned that the virgin of Yisrael MEANS a virgin blessed by the seven SFIROT, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN, as she is called Bathseba (lit. 'daughter of seven'), NAMELY MALCHUT. We have explained it in many places. The virgin below inherits seven blessings for herself. Yet the words, 'Son of man, take up a lamentation for the virgin of Yisrael,' assuredly relate to the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. HENCE it is more difficult to understand than anything else. For it is written, "The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise" (Amos 5:2). The interpretation of the friends, NAMELY, "THE VIRGIN OF YISRAEL IS FALLEN; SHE SHALL NO MORE" FALL AGAIN BUT "RISE," is correct. But we would have said so, if the passage were said by way of consolation. But IN THIS PASSAGE a lamentation was uttered. This verse proves so, LITERALLY, THAT IT IS A LAMENTATION.

76. He said to him, assuredly it is so, A LAMENTATION, and this was the most difficult for me to understand, and I came to Rabbi Shimon with a darkened face. He said to me, from the look on your face what is in your heart is seen. I said to him, indeed my mouth and heart speak the same. He said to me, speak up. I said to him, it is written, "The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise." So if a man who is angry with his wife and she goes away, she will never go back to him. If so, woe to the children who are exiled with her. He said to me, is what the friends said about this not sufficient to you? I said, I have heard what they say, and it is graceful. But my mind is not yet clear about it.

77. He said to me, Everything the friends have said is good, but woe to the generation where there are no shepherds, and the flock wanders and goes without knowing whither, neither right nor left. Assuredly this verse needs to be familiar, and everything is revealed to those who look through the way of the Torah in a true way.

78. Come and see: For all the exiles of Yisrael, He set a time and limit to them all. In them all, they turned to the Holy One, blessed be He, and the virgin of Yisrael, MALCHUT, returned to her place in the time decreed. On the last exile, it is not so, for she will not return as in the times of the other exiles. This verse teaches this, for it is written, "The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise" and not written, 'is fallen; I shall no more raise her.'

79. There is an allegory of a king who was angry with the queen and cast her away from her palace for a certain time. At the appointed time, the queen immediately returned and came before the king. It happened so once, twice, thrice. On the last time, she went far away from the king's palace and the king cast her from his palace for a long time. The king said, This time is different than other times. She will not come to me but I shall go together with all the retinue of my palace and seek her.

80. When he reached her, he saw her lying in the dust. Who has ever seen the glory of the queen at that time and the entreaties of the king before her? Eventually the king held her in his hands, raised her and brought her to his palace and swore to her that he would never separate from her again, nor stay away from her.

81. The Holy One, blessed be He, will do likewise. Whenever the Congregation of Yisrael was in exile, when the time came, she returned and came before the King. But in this exile, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself will hold her hands, raise her, reconcile Himself to her and bring her to His palace. Come and see: It is indeed so as written, "The virgin of Yisrael is fallen; she shall no more rise" BY HERSELF. Therefore, it is written, "On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen" (Amos 9:11). She will no more rise as in other times, but I shall raise her, SHE WILL NOT RISE OF HERSELF. This is why it is written, "On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen." I will raise up the tabernacle of David. What is the tabernacle of David? It is the virgin of Yisrael "that is fallen," as in the words: "is fallen." It is to the glory of the virgin of Yisrael and to her praise THAT SHE WILL NO MORE RISE OF HERSELF, BUT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WILL RAISE HER. I have learned this at that time.

82. Rabbi Yehuda said, Surely you have persuaded me and it agrees with me. This is the explanation of this matter. This agrees with another explanation, which I have heard but forgotten, but now I have regained it. We learned what Rabbi Yosi said that the Holy One, blessed be He, will proclaim about the Congregation of Yisrael saying, "Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem" (Yeshayah 52:2); namely, like one holding his friend's hand, saying, Shake yourself and rise. So will the Holy One, blessed be He, hold her and say, Shake yourself, arise.

83. Rabbi Acha said to him: All the retinue of the King's palace started also TO SPEAK TO HER in this language: "Arise, shine; for your light is come" (Yeshayah 60:1), for the King is here. Surely then, when the King makes peace with her, it is her glory and the joy of everyone. On every occasion, she came before the King and rose before Him, as written, "And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king" (I Melachim 1:28). This time it is not so, but the King will come to her and placate her and return her to His palace. Hence, it is written, "Behold, your king comes to you" (Zecharyah 9:9) and not you to him. He "comes to you" to pacify you and to raise you. He comes to you to perfect you in everything and He comes to you to raise you to His palace and join you in a CONSTANT everlasting union, as written, "And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness" (Hoshea 2:22).