Yerushalyaim: A Changed Perspective

My friends, we have finished Eicha. Ya-hoo! I thought I would discuss the last perek, Perek 5, and try to compare some of the ideas within Eicha to the modern world; so, let's begin. In Perek 5, the collective Yerushalayim is speaking, which shows that even during "hester panim" G-d still pays attention to the community. Yerushalyaim begins by pleading with G-d to look at US, thus embarking on step one towards reconnecting with G-d as a community. Then, she creates a "laundry list" of what occurred. There is no land, no houses, the children are orphans, there is a need to pay for natural resources, we are like servants, and we are paying for the sins of our fathers. We are starving, the women and maidens are afflicted, and the elders aren't at the gates. But you know why it happened? Because WE sinned. Yerushalayim comes to the recognition that she has sinned.

In section two (17-22), the epilogue is composed. "We were crying, Yerushalayim says, "Har Tzion was desolate, the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, and the relationship with Hashem is gone." Can we mend our relationship? Maybe start over? Yerushalayim is upset because her relationship with G-d is no longer visible, but she is cool, calm, and collective about it, moving on from the emotional role she took in Perek Aleph. And this translates into why we read Eicha on Tisha B'av, because we are losing our relationship with Hashem. 

Since we have been referring/comparing Hashem and Yerushalyaim to parent and child, I thought this quote by beloved author J.K. Rowling was most suiting for the occasion. “There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.” Up until the end of the Sefer (beginning with Perek 4), Yerushalyaim blamed Hashem for everything that she had endured. It kind of reminded me of the ambivalent attachment we learned about in AP Psychology. When Hashem tried to get the people to repent so many times, Yerushalayim ignored Him, and rejected the second chance that was presented to her in the clearest of manners. However, when Hashem hid His face in what is known as "hester panim," Yerushalyaim exhibited extreme signs of distress. 

However, in Perek 4, Yerushalayim realizes that her suffering was a result of her sins; she needed to stop accusing G-d. Therefore, she was able to embark on a transformational journey with a whole new perspective, as she's willing to accept the blame for her actions. In Perek 5, she realizes she needs the connection between her and Hashem to be repaired, as she feels extremely lonely. Yerushalyaim did what we often do, took her connection to Hashem for granted. And like us, she didn't realize she missed something until it was taken from her. It seems that Yerushalyaim has lost the opportunity for an instant connection; she needs to work to deserve it, and this means accepting the fact that she sinned and beginning the process of repentance. 

Even though Eicha was somewhat of a more dismal Sefer, I think it really conveyed many powerful lessons regarding our relationship with G-d that can really be translated into our modern life. What do you think was the most important message found in Eicha?