Makkot 24b — the Talmud in English

He said to them: For this reason I am laughing,

and what about those who transgress His will,

who bow down to their idolatry,

thus

they sit in tranquility and serenity.

If so, kal va-chomer

for

Israel, who are

doers of His will, all the more so

that Hashem will pay them good reward.

Once again they were going up to Jerusalem,

When they reached Mount Scopus,

from which one sees the place of the Temple,

they tore their garments,

for this is the law.

When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox that had emerged from the Holy of Holies.

They began to weep, and Rabbi Akiva was laughing.

They said to him: Why are you laughing?

He said to them: Why are you weeping?

They said to him: The place concerning which it is written [Numbers 1]

“and the foreigner who approaches shall be put to death,”

and now foxes are walking in it, and shall we not weep?!

He said to them: For this reason I am laughing,

as it is written: [Isaiah 8]

“And I will call to witness for Myself faithful witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah.”

And what connection does Uriah have with Zechariah?

And behold,

Uriah was in the First Temple,

he was,

and Zechariah

was among the later prophets,

in the Second Temple.

Rather, Scripture linked the prophecy of Zechariah with the prophecy of Uriah.

period.

Concerning Uriah it is written: [Micah 3]

“Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest.”

And

concerning Zechariah it is written: [Zechariah 8]

“There shall yet sit elderly men and elderly women in the streets of Jerusalem,

and a man

with his staff in his hand because of the multitude of days.”

Therefore,

until the prophecy of Uriah had been fulfilled, I was afraid that the prophecy of Zechariah would not be fulfilled.

Now that the prophecy of Uriah has been fulfilled, it is known that the prophecy of Zechariah is being fulfilled!

In these words they said to him: “Akiva, you have comforted us! Akiva, you have comforted us”!

until Uriah’s prophecy had been fulfilled, I was afraid that Zechariah’s prophecy would not be fulfilled.

Now that Uriah’s prophecy has been fulfilled, it is evident that Zechariah’s prophecy will be fulfilled!

The conclusion upon you, chapter “These Are the Ones Who Receive Stripes”; and the tractate Makkot is concluded.

We shall return to you, chapter “These Are They Who Are Lashed,” and tractate Makkot is concluded.