A few decades after the destruction of the Temple, an opportunity arose to rebuild it once again, but it was missed due to a change in governmental policy. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananya somewhat eased the people’s great disappointment using an apt parable.

In the days of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananya, the Roman Empire decreed that the Temple should be built. Papus and Lulyanus therefore arranged money-changing tables to be placed from Akko to Antioch to tend to the needs of the pilgrims who came from the exile.

The Samaritans went and said to the emperor: “Now let it be known to the king that if this city is built, and its walls finished, they will not pay property tax, poll tax, or toll” (Ezra 4:13)…. The emperor said to them: What can we do; I have already decreed that they may rebuild the Temple. They said to him: Send a message and say to them: Either change the site of the Temple, or add five cubits to it, or remove five cubits from it; and they will change their minds on their own. The Jewish communities were gathered in the valley of Beit Rimon. When the missives from the emperor arrived they began weeping and sought to rebel against the Roman Empire.

They said: Let a wise man enter and placate the public. They said: Let Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananya enter, as he is exceedingly wise in the realm of Torah. Rabbi Yehoshua entered and preached: A lion ate its prey and a bone became stuck in its throat. It said: If someone comes and removes it, I will give him his reward. An Egyptian heron, whose beak is long, came and inserted its beak into the lion’s throat and removed the bone. The heron said to the lion: Give me my reward. The lion said to it: Go, be satisfied with the fact that you can boast and say that you entered the lion’s mouth and emerged in peace. Likewise, it is sufficient for us that we entered into dealings with this Roman nation in peace, and emerged in peace. (Bereshit Rabba [Theodor-Albeck] 64)