A scene from the Bible came to life this week in Jerusalem, when a group of foxes evoked a well-known scene from the Book of Lamentations.
What could be better than seeing a group of cute foxes, frolicking together freely? How about seeing that group of foxes cavorting next to the Temple Mount, creating an image that seemed to jump right off the pages of the Bible.
Indeed, the Book of Lamentations refers to a time in which the ground on which the Jewish Temples stood will be so
“desolate” that “foxes will prowl over it.” (Lamentations 5:18) The Talmud elaborates on this passage, noting that if the prophecies of destruction are fulfilled, then so too Zechariah’s prophecy regarding the Third Temple’s construction will also be fulfilled.
As the Jewish people prepare to commemorate the destruction of the Temples by observing Tisha B’Av, the sight of these foxes provided yet another ray of hope to the Children of Israel and the world at large!