Mourning for the Pilgrimages

When I think of this, I pour out my soul: how I walked in the shade of a canopy,¹moved in procession, to the House of God with joyous shouts of praise (Psalm 42:5). R. Yudan and R. Nehemiah [said]: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One: In the past I would ascend for annual festivals in the shadow of the Holy One, and now in the shadow of the [non-Jewish] kingdom. [ . . . ]

When I think of this (ibid.): R. Berekhiah says: The congregation of Israel said: In the past I would ascend for annual festivals, with the trees forming a canopy above my head, as it says: how I walked in the shade of a canopy (ibid.), and now [I am] exiled and walking in the sun.

When I think of this (ibid.): The congregation of Israel said: In the past I would ascend for annual festivals with the path cleared before me, and now [I walk] through thorns, as it says: I will hedge up her roads with thorns (Hosea 2:8, NJPS).

When I think of this (Psalm 42:5): the congregation of Israel said: In the past I would ascend for annual festivals with baskets of firstfruits on my head. We would get up early and say: Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God! (Jeremiah 31:6, NJPS). Along the way we would say: I rejoiced when they said to me, “We are going to the House of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1, NJPS). In Jerusalem we would say: Our feet stood inside your gates, O Jerusalem (Psalm 122:2, NJPS). On the Temple Mount we would say: Hallelujah. Praise God in His sanctuary (Psalm 150:1, NJPS). In the courtyard we would say: Let all that breathes praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6, NJPS). And now I will be silent² until the House of God (Psalm 42:5): in silence I ascend, and in silence I descend.

When I think of this (ibid.): In the past I would ascend for annual festivals singing songs and praises to the Holy One, as it says: moved in procession, [to the House of God] with joyous shouts of praise (ibid.).