Song of Songs Rabbah 5:7

¹“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.