1
R. Simeon further said: ‘It is written: “He hath cast down the earth from the heavens” (Lam. 2, 1). For when the Almighty resolved to destroy the Temple and to banish Israel among the nations, He removed from before Him the upper earth, and when that earth was put away from Him, then the lower earth was laid waste and Israel were banished among the nations; whereupon the Community of Israel said: “My mother’s sons were incensed against me” (S. S. 1, 6), and that was the cause of my downfall.’
2
R. Jose was once walking with R. Hiya the son of Rab, and as they were going along he said to him: ‘Do you see something over there?’ ‘I see a man in the river’, he answered, ‘and a bird on his head with a piece of flesh which it is eating and tearing with its claws. The man is crying out something, but I cannot catch what he says.’
3
Said the other: ‘Let us go nearer and listen.’ He said: ‘I am afraid.’ ‘Why,’ he said, ‘do you think that this is a man here? This is some hint of Wisdom which God is sending us.’ So they went nearer and they heard him saying: ‘Crown, crown, two sons are kept outside, and there will be no peace or rest until the bird is thrown down in Carsarea.’
4
R. Jose wept and said: ‘Verily the Oaluth is drawn out, and therefore
5
the birds of heaven will not depart until the dominion of the idolatrous nations is removed from the earth, which will not be till the day when God will bring the world to judgement.’
6
As they went on they heard a voice say: ‘Let the flame of fire advance to chastise’, whereupon a flame came forth and burnt the bird.