9. And about this secret meaning it is written, "What (Heb. mah) shall I take to witness to you? What shall I liken to you?" (Eichah 2:13). Because when the Temple was destroyed, a voice came forth and said, "What shall I take to witness for you, and what shall I liken to you?" This means that using 'what' I shall witness about you each and every day since the ancient days. As it is written: "I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you" (Devarim 30:19). "What shall I liken to you?" In the very same manner I crowned you with holy crowns and made you ruler over the world. As is written: "Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty?" (Eichah 2:15). I have called you, "Jerusalem, built as a city that is compact together" (Tehilim 122:3). "What shall I equal to you?" (Eichah 2:13). Just as your situation is here, so it is seemingly above! REFERRING TO CELESTIAL JERUSALEM. Just as now the holy nation does not enter below with the sacred arrangements, so I swear to you that I will not enter above until your throngs come to you down below. This is your consolation - that I equate you with this level, WITH CELESTIAL JERUSALEM, WHICH IS MALCHUT, in every respect. And now you are here, "your breach is great like the sea" (Ibid. 13). If you claim that you have no existence or remedy, then 'who' shall heal you, namely, that same concealed supernal level, WHICH IS CALLED 'who', through which everything exists, WHICH IS BINAH, shall heal and uphold you.
9. וְעַל רָזָא דְּנָא כְּתִיב, מָה אֲעִידֵךְ מָה אֲדַמֶּה לָךְ. כַּד אִתְחְרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, נָפַק קָלָא וַאֲמַר, מָה אֲעִידֵךְ וּמָה אֲדַמֶּה לָךְ, בְּהַהוּא מָ"ה אֲעִידֵךְ, בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא אַסְהִידַת בָּךְ מִיּוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין, דִּכְתִיב הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. מָה אֲדַמֶּה לָךְ, בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ, עֲטָרִית לָךְ בְּעִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין, עֲבָדִית לָךְ שָׁלְטָנוּ עַל עָלְמָא, דִּכְתִיב הֲזֹאת הָעִיר שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ כְּלִילַת יֹפִי וגו'. קָרֵינָא לָךְ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ. מָה אַשְׁוֶה לָּךְ. כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַנְתְּ יָתְבָא, הָכֵי הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל לְעֵילָא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּלָא עָאלִין הַשְׁתָּא בָּךְ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּסִדְּרִין קַדִּישִׁין, הָכֵי אוֹמֵינָא לָךְ, דְּלָא אֵיעוֹל אֲנָא לְעֵילָא עַד דְּיֵעֲלוּן בָּךְ אֻכְלוֹסָךְ לְתַתָּא. וְדָא אִיהוּ נֶחָמָה דִילָךְ, הוֹאִיל דְּדַרְגָא דָא אַשְׁוֶה לָךְ בְּכֹלָא. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאַנְתְּ הָכָא, גָּדוֹל כַּיָּם שִׁבְרֵךְ. וְאִי תֵימָא דְּלֵית לָךְ קַיָּימָא וְאַסְוָותָא, מִ"י יִרְפָּא לָךְ, וַדַּאי הַהוּא דַרְגָּא סְתִימָאָה עִלָּאָה, דְכֹלָא קַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ, יִרְפָּא לָךְ וְיוֹקִים לָךְ.