Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily, with the 4th perek of Eicha. There is much history contained within the story of Eicha, both about the events leading up to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the actual destruction. This perek primarily describes the defiling of the City of Gold and the suffering of its Jews. The perek opens with the words, “Eicha yu’am zahav yishneh hakessem hatov tishtapeichna avnei kodesh b’rosh kol chutzvos – Oh how the gold has become dull! The finest gold has been defaced! The sacred stones have been strewn about at every street corner.” The simple meaning is obvious: Yerushalayim, the once beautiful city, has lost its luster. (What a long way we’ve come! Its streets are now teeming with people and beautiful construction is going up all over in preparation for the final Geula. A friend living in Eretz Yisrael says that he wakes up to the sound of the redemption every morning with the sounds of construction outside his apartment!) Yirmiya relates that Am Yisrael has been reduced to being worse than jackals. Infants are parched for water, while little children beg for bread. Even the wealthiest people scour the garbage for food. Verse 8 says, “Their skin has shriveled on their bones, having become dry as wood.” Yirmiya laments that those who were killed by the sword were more fortunate than those who die of starvation and famine. Women actually cooked and ate their own dead children. God has truly brought His wrath upon His people, razing Tziyon to its foundations. No one would have believed what happened to Yerushalayim and her people. The blind wandered the streets, filthy and bloody, as people screamed, “Stay away, you filth! You are disgusting!” From verses 17 until 22, which end the perek, Yirmiya describes the Jewish people turning towards their enemy to save them. This was in vain, as they nonetheless destroyed Yerushlayim, pursuing us swifter than eagles, trapping us. “Ultimately,” Yirmiya tells Edom, “even though you rejoice now, Hashem is going to make you drink from His cup of wine and you will vomit.” In verse 22 Yirmiya warns Edom that, “Hashem will one day uncover your sins.” Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily, when we’ll finish Megilas Eicha and begin Koheles. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.