איכה, פרק ד׳, פסוק ז׳

Before the destruction of Jerusalem, the city's elite possessed a breathtaking physical and spiritual glory. This radiant past stands in sharp, heartbreaking contrast to the devastating reality of the city's fall. The primary approach among commentators is that this past glory belonged to the princes and nobles, the crowned leaders of the city [רש״י, לחם דמעה, צאינה וראינה]. Another perspective suggests these individuals were actual ascetics who took vows of separation. Even though they distanced themselves from physical pleasures, they possessed an extraordinary beauty, marked by flowing hair and glowing faces [רש״י, לחם דמעה].

The flawless beauty of these individuals came from a rare blend of brilliant whiteness and vibrant redness. They were purer than snow and whiter than milk. Some explain this quite literally, noting that their striking appearance was the result of washing in snow water and drinking milk [תורה תמימה]. Alongside this pristine whiteness, their form was flushed with life, redder and more vibrant than precious ruby stones [לחם דמעה, שטיינזלץ]. Their bodies were perfectly shaped, symmetrical, and ordered like a finely cut sapphire [שטיינזלץ, לחם דמעה]. This imagery relies on a poetic parallel, where snow pairs with milk, and red stones pair with sapphire [אבן עזרא].

Many commentators view this physical perfection as a direct reflection of immense spiritual height. The clear purity of their faces was a result of their conscious separation from bodily desires [לחם דמעה]. Similarly, the vital redness in their appearance was not fueled by the heat of lust or negative urges. Instead, it radiated outward from the pure core of their souls, as the imagery of the red stones is understood to hint at the inner depths of the spirit [אלון בכות, לחם דמעה].

A unique approach divides these vivid descriptions into four distinct groups within the nation. The snow represents the righteous who distance themselves from worldly temptations. The milk symbolizes those who repent, whose past wrongs are washed completely white. The red stones represent judges who bravely execute justice against the wicked. Finally, the sapphire stands for those who sacrifice their lives to sanctify the name of God [פלגי מים].

The sapphire also serves as a powerful symbol of endurance and eternity. Just as a sapphire remains entirely unbroken even when struck with a hammer against an iron anvil, the people of Israel survive the harsh pains of exile without being destroyed [תורה תמימה, פלגי מים]. Conversely, another interpretation shifts the focus from the people to the tragedy itself. In this view, every harsh decree that struck Jerusalem during the destruction was as hard, cruel, and unyielding as a solid sapphire stone [תורה תמימה].