זוהר ויקרא — דף כ ע”ב

Rabbi Yossei opens with "Thus says the Lord: a voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping" (Jeremiah 31). On the day the Temple below was destroyed and Israel went into exile, millstones on their necks and hands bound behind them, the Community of Israel was driven from the King's house to follow them. As she descended she said: "I will go first and weep over my dwelling, my children, and my husband." She saw her place in ruins, the blood of the pious spilled within it, and the holy Sanctuary consumed by fire.<br />
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Then she raised her voice, and the upper and lower worlds trembled, and the voice reached the place where the King dwells, until the King wished to return the world to chaos. Many hosts came down to comfort her, and she accepted no comfort from them — this is "Rachel weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted." And "for he is not" is written, not "for they are not," because the holy King had ascended higher and higher and was no longer found within her.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya asks why Rachel weeps for her children; Rabbi Yossei teaches that she is the Community of Israel, truly Jacob's wife, as it is written "Jacob loved Rachel," "Rachel was barren," and "He settles the barren woman... a joyful mother of children." Another reading of "for he is not" links it to Joseph ("he is not" in the house): "he is not" — for he ascended and withdrew from everything; "he is not" — in union with her; "he is not" — so that His great Name be found.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya asks from which place the exile began. The answer: from the Temple, where the Shekhinah dwelt; then she circled the whole land of Israel; then, upon leaving the land, she stood in the wilderness and dwelt there three days, leading her multitudes and camps, and proclaimed over herself "How solitary sits the city!" Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yossei wept.<br />
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Rabbi Yossei adds: Israel was not exiled from the land, nor was the Temple destroyed, until all Israel were found guilty before the King, and before that the leaders of the world were found guilty first — as in "My people, those who lead you cause you to err" (Isaiah 3). Rabbi Chiya adds: if the whole congregation of Israel should err, it is because something was hidden from the eyes of the community — for the eyes of the people are their leaders, and the whole people follow after them.<br />
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On their way they found a verdant place with a flowing river, sat down, and a bird fluttered before them. Rabbi Chiya urged them to rise, fearing mountain bandits; indeed, when they turned their heads they saw robbers running after them. A miracle occurred: they found a rock with a cave, entered, and stayed there a day and a night.<br />
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Rabbi Chiya opens with "And you, fear not, Jacob My servant, for behold I will save you from afar" (Jeremiah 30), explaining that "from afar" here alludes to the depth of the stream, the place from which that river (the Yesod) issues and flows, as in "The Lord appeared to me from afar" and "she brings her bread from afar." "And Jacob shall return" teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, had ascended higher and higher, as in "Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?", and it is from that distant place that "behold, I will save you" comes.<br />
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Finally: "And Jacob shall return" to his place, to be united with the Community of Israel; "and be quiet" — this is Yesod; "and secure" — to make His dwelling rest in her; "with none to frighten him" — alluding to Isaac, as in "Isaac trembled with a great trembling" and "the dread of Isaac." When that dread awakens, the Yesod withdraws to another place — as it is written "sinners in Zion are afraid," specifically "in Zion." And now the Holy One, blessed be He, has saved us from afar and hidden us in this place in quiet and tranquility, with nothing to frighten us, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, performs a miracle, He performs it completely.