מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר, זֶה (עזרא ה, ג): תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר נַהֲרָה וַחֲבֵרָיו. הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי, (עזרא ד, ו): כָּתְבוּ שִׂטְנָה עַל ישְׁבֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָיִם. נָשְׂאוּ אֶת רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת, חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה נִבְנָה הַחוֹמָה אֶבֶן שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת, וְאֶבֶן עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, בְּרַם הָכָא (עזרא ה, ח): וְהוּא מִתְבְּנֵא אֶבֶן גְּלָל, וְאֶבֶן דְּגִלְגּוּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים, שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹ (דברים לג, ט): כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ. הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לב, כז): עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר. הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לב, כז): וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו. נָשְׂאוּ אֶת רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי, זֶה הַזַּיִן. תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי זַיִן שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחוֹרֵב, שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ הָיָה חָקוּק עָלָיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחָטְאוּ נִטַּל מֵהֶם, כֵּיצַד נִטַּל מֵהֶם, רַבִּי אַיְבוּ אָמַר מַלְאָךְ יָרַד וּקְלָפוֹ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מֵאֵלָיו הָיָה נִקְלָף. שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת, שׁוֹמְרֵי חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
“The sentries patrolling the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” (Song of Songs 5:7). “The sentries patrolling the city found me” – these are “Tatenai, the governor of Avar Nahara” (Ezra 5:3) and his associates. “They struck me, they wounded me” – “they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 4:6). “The guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” – the walls of Jerusalem. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: In the past, the wall was built with stones of eight cubits and stones of ten cubits. However, here: “It is built with great [gelal] stones” (Ezra 5:8), stones that are rolled [degilgul]. Another matter: “The sentries…found me” – the tribe of Levi, in whose regard it is written: “For they observed Your word” (Deuteronomy 33:9). “Patrolling the city” – just as it says: “Pass back and forth from gate to gate” (Exodus 32:27). They struck me, they wounded me” – just as it says: “Each man slay his brother” (Exodus 32:27). They “took my mantle from upon me” – this is weaponry. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev, the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. How was it taken? Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it. “Guards of the walls,” [these are] the guards of the walls of Torah.