It says, based on the Book of Lamentations, that "a person coming from Athens arrived in Jerusalem, found a broken stone vessel, picked it up and brought it to a tailor, and said, 'Sew this broken vessel for me'. The tailor, handing him a fistful of sand, said, 'Weave me some thread from the sand and I will sew'. This was a reference to the nation of Israel, who are as oppressed, broken and dispersed as is that broken stone vessel. What possible repair could bring them home to their land, being "a people that dwells apart"? How can they ever be mended, in their dispersion and brokenness? The tailor, understanding the riddle, also used flowery language to hint in his reply to the nation of Israel, who are likened to the sands of the sea. By taking a fistful of sand, and saying, "Weave me some thread to mend the vessel" he meant: When the nation of Israel will be woven together in unity, with no slander between them, this will be their repair (tikun)… The repair of Israel as a whole, though they may be oppressed, broken or dispersed, is through unity and peace between each other; this will repair the shards of my People and bring them to total repentance, and then will it be "Israel in whom I glory", and "Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?" -  in unity.