בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַצְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּחֲנוֹת בְּמַחְלֹקֶת בְּהַר סִינַי, יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה, כְּתִיב (תהלים יח, י): וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד. וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם יִדְלֹף הַבָּיִת, עַל שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּפְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּחֲנוֹת בְּמַחְלֹקֶת עַל הַר סִינַי, יִדְלֹף הַבָּיִת, (שופטים ה, ד): גַּם עָבִים נָטְפוּ מָיִם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַצְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה בִּימֵי יִרְמְיָה, יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה, (ישעיה כב, ח): וַיְגַל אֵת מָסַךְ יְהוּדָה, גָּלֵי דְכַסְיָיה. וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם יִדְלֹף הַבָּיִת, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּפְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה בִּימֵי יִרְמְיָה, כְּתִיב (עמוס ו, יא): כִּי הִנֵּה ה' מְצַוֶּה וְהִכָּה אֶת הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל רְסִיסִים וְהַבַּיִת הַקָּטֹן בְּקִעִים, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא לָא דָמֵי הָדֵין רְסִיסָה לְהָדֵין בְּקִיעָה, מָה הָדֵין בְּקִיעָה לֵית מִינֵיהּ אָלִיסִים, וְהָדֵין רְסִיסָה אִית מִינֵיהּ אָלִיסִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה, רַבִּי כֹּהֵן פָּתַר בְּאִשָּׁה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה מִתְעַצֶּלֶת לִבְדֹּק עַצְמָהּ בְּעוֹנָתָהּ, נַעֲשֵׂית דָּוָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו, לג): וְהַדָּוָה בְּנִדָּתָהּ. וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּפֶּלֶת מִלִּבְדֹּק עַצְמָהּ, נַעֲשֵׂית זָבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו, כה): וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ וגו'.
“With slothfulness the ceiling sags and with idleness of the hands the house leaks” (Ecclesiastes 10:18). “With slothfulness the ceiling sags” – because the Israelites were slothful from encamping at Mount Sinai in dispute, “the ceiling sags” – it is written: “He bent the heavens and descended” (Psalms 18:10). “And with idleness [uvshiflut] of the hands the house leaks” – because the Israelites humbled themselves [nishtapelu] [and refrained] from encamping in dispute at Mount Sinai, “the house leaks” – “the clouds, too, dripped water” (Judges 5:4). Another matter: “With slothfulness the ceiling sags” – because the Israelites were slothful in repenting in the days of Jeremiah, “the ceiling sags,” – “He uncovered the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8), he removed its covering. “And with idleness [uvshiflut] of the hands the house leaks” – because the Israelites abased themselves [nishtapelu] from repenting in the days of Jeremiah, “the house leaks,” it is written: “For behold, the Lord commands, and He will shatter the great house into smithereens and the small house into fragments” (Amos 6:11). Rabbi Huna said: This shattering into smithereens is unlike the shattering into fragments. This shattering into fragments, there are no remnants from it, while the shattering into smithereens, there are remnants from it. Another matter: “With slothfulness the ceiling sags” – Rabbi Kohen interpreted [it] regarding a woman: Because a woman is slothful in examining herself at her appropriate time, she suffers, as it is stated, “and of she who suffers in her menstruation” (Leviticus 15:33). “And with idleness [uvshiflut] of the hands…” – because she abases herself [mishtapelet] [and refrains] from examining herself, she becomes a zava, as it is stated: “And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow [many days, not at the time of her menstruation]” (Leviticus 15:25).