The Book of Hoshea, Chapter 11. *'When Israel was a youth, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.'* *'Israel was a youth'* - when the people of Israel were still young, tender in years, referring to Egypt, when they were, so to speak, still in diapers. *'Israel was a youth,'* says the Holy One, Blessed be He, and already then, *'I loved him.'* Even then I loved him. *'And out of Egypt I called My son.'* This means that even though he did not call out to Me - that is, the people of Israel were not in a state where they would turn to Hashem - the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I called out to him, out of My love for him. Just like a father who loves his son and calls for him to come to him, even though the son is not looking for the father; nevertheless, out of his great love, the father seeks his son. This is how most commentators explain it. Targum Yonatan, however, offers a slightly different explanation here. He renders: *'And out of Egypt I called them sons.'* It does not mean I called the son to come, but rather in the sense of bestowing a name: I bestowed upon him the title of My son. This was already from Egypt.
*'[The prophets] called to them, so they walked away from them; they sacrifice to the Ba'alim, and burn incense to carved idols.'* *'They called to them'* - the Radak explains that the prophets I sent called to them morning and evening to return to Hashem, but they did not listen to them. They did not remove their evil deeds from before them. *'They sacrifice to the calves, and burn incense to carved idols'* - they continue to sacrifice and burn incense to their calves. The Malbim here explains differently. The Malbim says that *'they called to them'* means that the Ba'alim whom they worship called to them - meaning the worshippers of the Ba'al call out to the Ba'al. This is completely different from Radak's explanation that 'they called to them' refers to the prophets (Rashi also explains like Radak). The Malbim explains that this refers to the worshippers of the Ba'al calling out to the Ba'alim. This then directly connects to the previous verse - or rather, to the end of the verse, to be precise. *'They called to them'* - to whom? To the Ba'alim and the idols mentioned at the end of the verse. He says to them: look, they call out to them, but the Ba'alim walk away from them; that is, the Ba'alim do not answer them. This is why idols are called *atzabim* (from *etzev*, sadness), because they sadden those who worship them. Whoever serves idols experiences sorrow, because the idol does not respond. Now he explains: they called to them - to whom? To the Ba'alim to whom they sacrifice, and to the carved idols to whom they burn incense. Israel calls out to them, but they are distant from them. Come and see the contrast: from Egypt I called My son, yet they call to the Ba'alim. That is why the verse contrasts 'they called' (*kar'u*) with 'I called' (*karati*). Look at the stark polarity between the good deeds I performed for them and the evil deeds they commit toward Me. The Malbim notes the phrasing: *'they sacrifice to the Ba'alim, and burn incense to carved idols.'* What is the difference? The Malbim explains that slaughtering the sacrifice is the primary form of worship; the slaughter of the offering was performed for the Ba'alim themselves. By contrast, burning incense was secondary worship, offered to the physical statue in its honor. Therefore it says, *'to carved idols they burn incense.'* That is, there is the actual deity of the idolatry, and there are the statues made in honor of the idolatry. The burning of incense, which was a secondary act, was performed before the carved idols.
*'And I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by his arms, but they did not know that I healed them.'* Hashem says: *'And I taught Ephraim to walk.'* Why is Ephraim specifically mentioned here? Because Ephraim was the one who made the calves. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: How could they do such a thing to Me? After all, I did so much good for them, and I accustomed them (*hirgalti*) to My Torah and My service - so how could they go and do such a thing? Rashi elaborates: What is *'tirgalti l'Ephraim'*? I sent before them a leader who accustomed them gently. Indeed, the word *tirgalti* is a hapax legomenon in Tanach; it appears nowhere else. And *tirgalti* has the meaning of *hirgalti* (I accustomed), as the commentators explain: I sent before them a leader to train them gently. *'Taking them by his arms'* - this refers to Moshe Rabbeinu, says Rashi, as it is written, *'As a nursing father carries an infant,'* and as Hashem said to him, *'Carry them in your bosom.'* So he took them in his arms. *'But they did not know that I healed them.'* Did they really not know that it came from Hashem? Rashi explains: They knew, but they trampled it underfoot; they made themselves appear as though they did not know. Therefore it says, *'they did not know that I healed them,'* as if they were unaware that the healing came from Me. The Midrash Agada, Rabbi Tanchuma, expounds this regarding the sons of Yosef. This is well known: the Midrash applies this to Yosef. When Yosef brought his sons, Ephraim and Menashe, before Yaakov to be blessed, Yaakov saw with Ruach HaKodesh that wicked people were destined to descend from them - from Ephraim would come Yeravam and Achav. The Ruach HaKodesh departed from him. Yaakov said, *'Who are these?'* - who are these who are unworthy of blessing? Yosef pleaded for mercy, and the Ruach HaKodesh rested upon Yaakov once again, and he blessed them. This is what is meant by *'And I accustomed My spirit upon Yaakov for the sake of Ephraim.'* Hashem says: I, as it were, accustomed My Ruach HaKodesh to come upon Yaakov so that he would bless Ephraim. That is *'tirgalti l'Ephraim'* - I trained My holy spirit, as it were, to come upon him for Ephraim's benefit. And so that he would take them in his arms, as it says, *'Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.'* Yet look at how, instead, Ephraim engages in corrupt deeds.
The Malbim explains that *tirgalti* comes from the word *regel* (foot). It is as if the Holy One, Blessed be He, is saying: I am the feet of Ephraim. What does this mean? The Malbim explains that the verse depicts Ephraim standing on something. Our feet are our base of support. You could say one stands on a footstool, but in any case, the Holy One, Blessed be He, asks: What is Ephraim standing upon? Who serves as his feet? Hashem says: It is I. *'Taking them by his arms'* - that is, I am Ephraim's feet while Ephraim carries the Ba'alim in his arms! It is as if Ephraim is carrying the Ba'alim, bearing them upon his arms, and standing with the Ba'alim in his arms while upon whom is he actually standing? Upon My feet. Do you understand? I am the One carrying them, I am the One lifting Ephraim, and Ephraim is lifting up the Ba'al! And what happens in such a situation? *'And they did not know that I healed them.'* When recovery and healing occur, Ephraim is convinced that the Ba'alim he carries in his arms are the ones who healed him. Meanwhile, in truth, who healed him? The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: *'And they did not know that I healed them'* - I am the One who healed you! You and your Ba'al are standing upon My feet, as it were, says Hashem, yet you carry him as though the healing came from him! *'And I was feet to Ephraim'* - Ephraim's feet were from Me, yet he took the idols into his arms, and through this *'they did not know that I healed them.'* Because of this, they fail to recognize that the healing is from Me; instead, he thinks that the idol is what saved him.
*'I drew them with ropes of a man, with cords of love; and I was to them as those who lift the yoke from their jaws, and I bent down to feed them.'* *'I drew them with ropes of a man, with cords of love.'* Since he previously compared Ephraim to a heifer - as we saw earlier, an untrained heifer, and we explained that it was not trained for hard labor but only for threshing, for light work - he now continues with this parable. He says: a heifer is pulled with ropes. In order to lead a calf to work or wherever one wishes, one ties it with a rope and pulls. Hashem says: I pulled Israel with ropes of a human being. This is *'I drew them with ropes of a man, with cords of love.'* I did not pull them with the kind of rope used to drag a calf, but rather with 'ropes of a man.' A calf is pulled against its will; you tie a rope around its head and drag it. But I drew them with ropes of a man. How does one lead another human being? Rashi consistently explains in every place where it says expressions like 'take Aharon' or 'take his sons,' that it means take them with persuasive words (*devarim*). Why? Because when you tell me to take a cup, I lift it and take it. When you tell me to take an ox, I grab a rope and pull. But when you tell me to take a person, that is not how you take a person! Taking a person means creating motivation within him. It means winning him over with words, persuading him, and bringing him to the point where he desires to come on his own. That is what is called 'ropes of a man.' Just as one draws a human being not with a rope tied around his neck, but with cords of love, through persuasion. That is why it says, *'I drew them with cords of love,'* and *'va'at'* - I led them gently. *'And I was to them as those who lift the yoke from their jaws.'* Radak explains: like those who take pity on a heifer so that it does not plow excessively, what would they do? They would lift the yoke from its neck and place it on its cheeks, giving the heifer rest so that it would not constantly plow and become exhausted. So too, says Hashem: I acted toward them like those who lift the yoke. I lifted the yoke from their necks, meaning I removed the hardship from them. *'And I bent down to feed them'* - and despite all this, even while it rested from weariness, they would bring food directly to its place. *Ochil* is from the language of food (*ma'achal*). One might have said: now that the yoke is off your neck, go graze and look for pasture, find something to eat! But no, says the Holy One, Blessed be He: gently and tenderly, I brought it food Myself. Even though it was not plowing at that moment, I nevertheless took the trouble to bring its food right to where it was standing. That is the parable. Radak explains that this is the allegory for Israel: I did not overburden them with a heavy yoke; in the wilderness, I provided for their needs without any exertion on their part. I gave them bread, I gave them meat. Yet look, he says: despite all this, they still corrupted their ways and acted contrary to the goodness I bestowed upon them.
The Malbim explains *'I drew them with ropes of a man'* differently: I drew them using ropes of a human being - that is, I brought upon them a man, Ashur (Assyria), who bound them with ropes. This is the meaning of 'ropes of a man.' His explanation differs from Radak's. Rashi explains that when Ashur arrived here, he imprisoned us; he took us captive and bound us. He carried us down in chains into exile. Thus, I brought ropes upon them through a human being who bound and subjected us under the yoke of that king. On the other hand, says the Malbim, Hashem says: *'I drew them with cords of love'* - I draw them toward Me so that they will be under My domain, under My providence, because I love them. And then I draw them with cords (*avotot*). Cords are stronger than ropes (*chavalim*). For if Nevuchadnetzar draws them with ropes, I draw them with cords. How did He draw them with cords? Hashem says: *'I was to them as those who lift the yoke from their jaws'* - I eased their burden, *'and I bent down to feed them'* - meaning I brought them food gently, as Radak explained, like one who pities an animal bearing a yoke that weighs it down, so I also provided them with food. Thereby I was like one who lifts the yoke off it so that it will not be burdened and can eat, bringing the food close to its mouth. Hashem says: even though I drew them with ropes of a man, nevertheless My will was to draw them with cords of love, far more powerful than ropes of a man, to assist them, help them, and feed them. The Malbim explains the difference between a rope (*chevel*) and a cord (*avot*): an *avot* consists of three ropes plaited together. Just as we see regarding the myrtle branch (*anaf etz avot*), *avot* means having three leaves at each level; if it does not have three leaves, it is not called *avot*. So too, a cord (*avot*) is woven from three ropes.
*'He shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Ashur shall be his king, because they refused to repent.'* Hashem says: I wanted to ease their burden. Even though their sins necessitated that they fall into the hands of Ashur - *'Woe to Ashur, the rod of My anger'* - the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Had they not corrupted themselves further, their situation would have been much easier. If they had not rebelled by sending emissaries to So, the king of Egypt, as we saw earlier, which provoked the wrath of the king of Ashur... The king of Ashur said: I conquered you, you are my subjects, and you seek to rebel against me by turning to So, the king of Egypt, to save you from me? This aroused their wrath, and Ashur intensified his yoke. So the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: See that I wanted to give them an easier life; I wished to lighten their burden so they would endure only mild chastisement under Ashur, and afterward I would remove the yoke from them. I warned them and advised them not to return to Egypt: Ashur is his king. *'He shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Ashur shall be his king, because they refused to repent.'* Since they refused to return to Hashem, says the Holy One, Blessed be He, it was improper for them to violate their covenant by returning to Egypt and rebelling against the king of Ashur. The phrase *'because they refused to repent'* stated here is essentially saying: Since you did not turn back from your evil way, you must endure suffering, so I brought the king of Ashur upon you. But if you insist on rejecting that suffering and seeking alternative avenues through the king of Egypt, then the king of Ashur will make his yoke heavier, and you will suffer tremendous harm from him. In conclusion, although I drew you with ropes of a man, I remained bound to you with cords of love. Even though the 'ropes of a man' was the king of Ashur, had you not tried to cast off those ropes on your own, you would have seen that I was drawing you with cords of love and keeping you close to Me. But you went and tried to remove them, and consequently the wrath of the king of Ashur flared up; he came and exiled everyone. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Look how you brought ruin upon yourselves.
Rashi explains: *'He shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Ashur shall be his king.'* That is, when I redeemed them, I promised them - since the chapter opened with our exodus from Egypt, that Hashem brought us out of Egypt - I promised them: *'You shall never see them again.'* This promise essentially meant that there would be no exile. What did you do now? *'Ashur shall be his king.'* And why all this? *'Because they refused to repent.'* That is, I took you out of a state of servitude, but you corrupted your deeds and ended up in another state of servitude. What did you gain? If it is not Egypt, then it is Ashur! And why did all this happen? Because they refused to repent. Had you returned to Hashem, you would not have been subjugated at all.
*'And the sword shall whirl through his cities, and consume his branches, and devour because of their counsels.'* Radak explains... or perhaps let us begin with the Malbim. The Malbim says: *'And the sword shall whirl through his cities'* - they did not heed My counsel; they insisted on sending emissaries to the king of Egypt, and as a result, Ashur came and exiled them. Therefore, when the sword whirls through his cities and consumes his branches and devours everything, Hashem says, as it were: Your complaints are not against Me! The blame lies within you. The fact that a sword now strikes your cities and consumes them is your own fault. Concerning this, the verse says: *'and devour because of their counsels.'* Everything that happened here was the result of their own counsels. Your own counsel brought this upon you. Had you listened to My advice, you would have bowed your head before the king of Ashur, accepted his yoke and burden, and then the Holy One, Blessed be He, would have drawn you with cords of love. But you decided to cast off this suffering, and consequently the Holy One, Blessed be He, brought harsher suffering upon you. Radak explains that *vechalah cherev be'arav* means that the sword will fall and rest upon his cities, like *yachulu al rosh* (shall fall upon the head). *'And consume his branches'* - *badav* refers to branches, which serve here as a symbol for the villages. The cities are like the trunk of the tree, and the branches of the tree are the outlying villages, the more distant settlements. Since cities were already mentioned (*the sword shall whirl through his cities*), *'and consume his branches'* means the outlying villages that are further away from the city itself.
*'And My people are suspended in hesitation regarding returning to Me; though they call them toward the Most High, none at all will exalt Him.'* *'And My people are suspended in hesitation regarding returning to Me'* (*ve'ammi telu'im limshuvati*). Rashi explains: when the prophets instruct them to return to Me, they are suspended - meaning hanging in doubt, wavering whether to return or not, and with great difficulty before they finally return to Me. *'My people are in suspense regarding returning to Me'* - My people are in doubt whether to return to Me or not. Radak struggles with this interpretation, because Radak notes that we never find the word *meshuvah* used in a positive sense; here Rashi wants to interpret it from the root of *teshuvah*, which is positive. In fact, Targum Yonatan also interprets it positively regarding repentance. But as noted, this interpretation is difficult, because the term *meshuvah* is always associated with backsliding and mischief (*shovavah*), wayward deeds that deviate from the path. Yet here Rashi explains that My people are suspended, perpetually hanging in doubt, wavering whether to return to Me or not. *'Though they call them toward the Most High'* - Rashi explains: to the matter toward which the prophets call them together, My people do not exalt it and do not consent to do it. The prophets call them upward, urging them to elevate themselves and achieve a high spiritual state. Together, all the prophets call upon them to rise and serve Hashem on high, calling them to ascend, yet *'none will exalt'* - they do not rise. They remain in their physical desires, in their idolatry. Rashi offers another explanation: What is *'though they call them toward the Most High, together they will not exalt'*? Rashi says: some explain this to mean that harsh and bitter afflictions strike them, and *el al yikra'uhu* - meaning the word *el* is in the sense of 'it is in the power of my hand' (*yesh l'el yadi*). In reality, however, it is difficult to maintain this interpretation, because here the word is not vowelized with a *tzere* but with a *segol*. When you say *yesh l'el yadi*, it is vocalized with a *tzere* (two dots), whereas here it is written with a *segol* (three dots). Therefore, the likelihood is that *el* here means 'to' or 'toward' - like 'he went toward that place' - and not in the sense of strength and power. *'Together they will not exalt'* - Rashi also cites Targum Yonatan, who explains that together they will not walk with an upright stature; that is the meaning of *'yachad lo yeromem.'* Radak explains: *'My people are suspended because of My turning'* - Radak says they are suspended between distress and relief. He too explains *telu'im* as hanging in suspense, but whereas Rashi explains it as suspended between whether to repent or not, Radak says *telu'im* means suspended between a state of prosperity and a state of distress. Their condition is never stable, and the reason is *limshuvati* - because of the waywardness and backsliding they commit. As Radak explained, *meshuvah* is always used negatively: had they not rebelled against Me, they would have enjoyed perpetual tranquility. But why are they always hanging in suspense? Why is it sometimes good and sometimes bad, sometimes trouble and sometimes rest? All of this is *limshuvati* - because they do deeds contrary to the will of Hashem. Radak brings another explanation in the name of his father: *'telu'im limshuvati'* means they are suspended and doubtful regarding My commandments. That is, in order to rebel against Me, they constantly raise doubts: Did Hashem really command this? Is this truly what Hashem wants? Is this really obligatory? They are constantly suspended - meaning in doubt, like a hanging doubt (*asham talui*). Is this what needs to be done? Is this mandatory? Where do all these doubts come from? *Limshuvati* - out of a desire for waywardness and rebellion, they continually cast doubt upon the commandments of Hashem. *'And toward the Most High they call them'* - the prophets call them to return upward, to the Most High God, but *'together none will exalt'* - meaning all of them as one, there is none among them who will return to Hashem and exalt and magnify Hashem with his mouth. Ibn Ezra explains that they will not lift their heads, similar to Targum Yonatan. His father explains *yeromam* with a *tzere* like a *patach* - *yeromam* (they will not be elevated) - meaning that no one truly managed to rise to the level they thought they would reach. You thought you would rise and elevate yourself, but you failed to attain it.
The Malbim here explains this entire prophecy as an allegory. The Malbim says that the prophet is conveying to us in poetic language: The king of Ashur conquered Shomron and wants to destroy and annihilate everyone. Hashem has turned away from them, as it were; Hashem has retreated to His place in Heaven. That is, when He exercises providence on earth, the Shechinah descends to the earth, but when the Holy One, Blessed be He, leaves us in the hands of destructive forces, it is as if the Shechinah uproots and departs, as we saw with the exiles of the Shechinah until He said, *'I will go and return to My place.'* So too here: the Holy One, Blessed be He, ascends, as it were, to His place in Heaven. But notice: He has not yet distanced Himself completely. He is still standing between earth and Heaven. On the one hand, because of the sins committed here on earth, He wishes to depart entirely, to return to His lofty abode. On the other hand, He also has compassion toward us; He has mercy on us. For this reason, He desires to apply His mercy to us, to descend to us and rule over us with compassion. The people of Israel anticipate that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will have mercy on them; they lift their eyes to Hashem that He may save them. This is the meaning of *'And My people are suspended regarding My return.'* Hashem describes how the people of Israel are suspended, lifting their eyes to Heaven and pleading for Hashem to return to them, to draw near to them once again. As we said, the Holy One, Blessed be He, is standing in the middle, as though undecided whether to depart completely or return to rule over them. Israel hangs in suspense, looking toward Heaven to plead that I return and have mercy on them in their time of trouble. At the very least, they plead that I not distance Myself any further, that I remain close to them. This is the meaning of *'and toward the heights He will not be elevated.'* All of Israel pleads: Master of the Universe, You are already distant enough from us! *'Toward the heights do not be elevated'* - do not continue to ascend further, reaching a state where You return completely to Your heavenly abode and withdraw Your providence from us entirely. You are already distant from us, so do not draw any further away. First of all, they hope I will return to them; and even if I do not return, then at least let Me not ascend any higher and distance Myself further, removing the Shechinah entirely so that it no longer rests upon them. This is what was written earlier: *'I will go and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face.'* The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I will go and return to My place, and that is the stage when they will acknowledge their guilt. They see that their corrupt deeds brought troubles upon them, and then they will seek My face. Then they will seek Hashem: *'My people are suspended regarding My return,'* lifting their eyes toward Heaven and pleading that I return to them. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: In this reality, I truly desire to return to them, to rule over them, and I am ready to save them. But... look at the next verse:
*'How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Tzevoyim? My heart turns within Me; My compassions are kindled together.'* But the Holy One, Blessed be He, answers them: You plead, you hang in suspense for My return, lifting your eyes toward Heaven to beseech My return. Hashem says: I am faced, as it were, with an enormous dilemma regarding how to treat you. On the one hand, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Out of great mercy for you, I want to return to Shomron. The Holy One, Blessed be He, knows that if I distance Myself completely, the king of Ashur will destroy them utterly; he will leave neither remnant nor survivor. On the other hand, He knows that their wickedness is as great as that of Sedom and Amorah. Consequently, I cannot return there. I have no place there, as it were, dwelling in a city whose inhabitants commit acts that provoke the Holy One, Blessed be He! When the Holy One, Blessed be He, descended to Sedom and Amorah, what did it lead to? Destruction and overthrow! Hashem says: If I return to you, do you know what will happen? Total destruction and overthrow! For I cannot bear to see how they provoke Me right before My eyes. Thus, staying far away is no solution, for the king of Ashur will destroy them. Well, then, suppose I draw near to them and stay with them? If I am with them, I will destroy them, just like Sedom and Amorah, because I cannot witness the corrupt deeds they perform! The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: What then shall I do? If I do not return to the city, the king of Ashur will destroy it; if I do return to the city, I will destroy it! This is what He says: On the one hand, I want to return to Shomron, for *'How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?'* How can I deliver you up - as in *magen tzareinu b'yadeinu* (delivered our enemies into our hands) - how can I hand you over into the power of the king of Ashur? So I want to return. Yet on the other hand, I cannot return, for if I return, *'How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Tzevoyim?'* Admah and Tzevoyim were cities of Sedom! If I return, I will make you like Admah and Tzevoyim, overturning you just as I overturned the cities of Sedom when I entered among them. So I do not know what to do. What is this dilemma called? *'My heart turns within Me.'* *'My heart turns within Me'* - My heart is overturned within Me: Should I abandon them and let the king of Ashur annihilate them, or should I oversee them and destroy them Myself? *'My heart turns within Me,'* says Hashem. That is, on the one hand, My heart turns - turns toward what? Turns to protect them; I want to descend in order to shield them. On the other hand, *'My compassions are kindled together'* - yet alongside this, My compassions are stirred. On the one hand, I want to have mercy and relent from the evil I decreed upon them through the king of Ashur, and descend upon them to save them; yet *'My compassions are kindled'* means I would then be forced to destroy the city Myself, like Admah and Tzevoyim! If I relent from the evil wrought by Ashur, the destruction will take place through Me. The Holy One, Blessed be He, asks: What then can I do in such a situation with Ephraim? How can I protect him from Ashur on the one hand, while not being compelled to strike and slay him Myself on the other?
He adds here: The Malbim explains that the verse speaks of Ephraim generally because Ephraim was the royal tribe, and the royal tribe was the one that incited the people to sin; it all began with Yeravam. That is why He says: Even if I were to give you up, Ephraim, *'how can I hand you over, Israel?'* - who sinned far less! How can I deliver you up, Ephraim, into the hands of Ashur, when you are the great sinner, and how can I hand over Israel, who did not sin nearly as much? All the more so is it exceedingly difficult for Me to deliver them into the hands of Ashur, since they were not as wicked as Ephraim. The Malbim explains that *amagencha* (hand you over) implies a harsher surrender into the enemy's hands than *etencha* (giving up). If it is difficult for Me to give up Ephraim, who truly acted wickedly, how much more so Israel, who are less wicked, for Israel was merely drawn after Ephraim. The other tribes followed Ephraim, as Ephraim was the royal tribe. So the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: All the more do I face a problem regarding how I could surrender Israel into the hands of Ashur! Notice there are two expressions here: *'How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Tzevoyim?'* The Malbim asks: What is the difference between giving (*netinah*) and placing/setting (*simah*) - giving into one's hand versus placing in one's hand? The Malbim explains that here, *simah* denotes careful and deliberate placement. When I place something in a specific spot, it means I put it down gently and properly, in a fitting manner. That is the meaning of *lasim*, as Chazal expound on the verse *'ve-samu'*: Chazal say, *'ve-samu'* - gently, and *'ve-samu'* - so that it does not scatter. Therefore, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: How could I place you thus? *'How can I give you up'* refers to giving in any manner, whereas *'how can I set you'* - when My desire is to place you gently and properly, how then could I set you like Tzevoyim? How could I do such a thing to you? Therefore, *'My heart turns within Me.'* The turning of the heart signifies a change of will. *'And My compassions are kindled'* (*nichmaru nichumai*): *nechamah* means regret/relenting, and *nichmaru* means heating up. The root *k-m-r* always denotes heat, as the Gemara speaks of a vessel in which fruits were placed to heat up, such as olives, called a *kumer*, where they heat up so that their oil can be extracted. So too here, *nichmaru* means became warmed. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I feel heat, as it were, from what My eyes behold. I see what you are doing, and through this, My compassions - the comfort and relenting I felt toward you - are stirred and heated up.
*'I will not execute the fierceness of My anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not enter the city.'* Therefore, says the Holy One, Blessed be He: *'I will not execute the fierceness of My anger.'* The Malbim explains: The Holy One, Blessed be He, says, I have chosen the middle path. When one cannot decide whether to turn to one extreme or the other, the middle way often provides the resolution. Hashem says: I have chosen the middle path, so that I will not distance Myself to Heaven, leaving them vulnerable to the king of Ashur who would annihilate them completely, as the Holy One, Blessed be He, originally decreed. Regarding this He says, *'I will not execute the fierceness of My anger'* - I will not withdraw completely, bringing upon them fierce anger and total destruction. On the other hand, I will also not return to be with them in Shomron. That is *'I will not return to destroy Ephraim'* - for if I return, I would destroy Ephraim, as we said earlier, like Admah and Tzevoyim. Concerning this He says: I will not return to Shomron, because I would be forced to destroy Ephraim. *'For I am God and not man.'* This is the reason, says the Malbim, why I will make this compromise, why I will choose the middle path: because I am God and not man. What is the difference between God (*El*) and man (*ish*)? Man represents the attribute of strict justice - 'a man of war' (*ish milchamah*); *ish* signifies strict judgment. *El* represents the attribute of loving-kindness - 'the loving-kindness of God (*chesed El*) is all day.' The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Since I am God and not man, I will not approach you with the attribute of strict justice, but rather with the attribute of loving-kindness. Therefore, I will choose the middle path: I will not execute the fierceness of My anger, I will not destroy you completely, but neither will I return to destroy Ephraim - I will not return to you, so that I will not destroy you. Therefore, says the Holy One, Blessed be He: Since I am God and not man, possessing mercy toward them through the attribute of *El*, the solution is: *'the Holy One in your midst, and I will not enter the city.'* The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: The resolution is that I will remain holy in your midst; I will not distance Myself from you, yet despite this, *'I will not enter the city.'* What does this mean? My distance will not extend all the way to My throne of glory on high, abandoning you entirely to Ashur, which would lead to total annihilation; yet on the other hand, I will not enter the city either, for if I enter the city, I would be compelled to destroy them. Therefore, Hashem says: I will be holy in your midst. Being 'in your midst' does not mean dwelling directly together with them, but hovering over them, as we explained earlier. Through this, the king of Ashur will exile them on the one hand, but on the other hand, he will not destroy them completely - he will not annihilate them. This represents an intermediate outcome between the desire to protect them directly (which would cause Me to destroy them) and the desire to surrender them to the king of Ashur (which would cause him to destroy them). The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I will remain in the middle, neither distancing Myself completely nor drawing close completely.
There are additional explanations for this verse; let us mention them briefly. Radak cites Rav Saadia Gaon on the words *'and I will not enter the city'*: *'The Holy One in your midst, and I will not enter the city'* means, says Radak in the name of Rav Saadia Gaon, I will not enter any other city, but only Jerusalem. *'The Holy One in your midst, and I will not enter the city'* - in your midst, in Jerusalem where My Shechinah dwells, and I will not enter any other city. As Targum Yonatan translates: 'And I will not exchange Jerusalem for any other city.' Ibn Ezra explains: *'The Holy One in your midst, though I will not enter the city'* - as if asking: 'Will God indeed dwell with man on earth?' The Holy One, Blessed be He, asks: Can holiness exist in your midst even if I am not there? Can there be a 'Holy One in your midst' if I do not enter the city? How could holiness reside in you if I do not enter the city? According to his approach, this is phrased as a rhetorical question. Chazal essentially ask this very question: Because the Holy One is in your midst, shall I not enter the city? That seems like an inherent contradiction! You say 'the Holy One in your midst' - there is holiness within you, and yet I will not enter the city? On the contrary, because there is holiness in your midst, I should enter the city! Chazal answer: Rather, Hashem says, I will not enter the Heavenly Jerusalem until the earthly Jerusalem is rebuilt. The Gemara explains: *'The Holy One in your midst, and I will not enter the city'* - when will I enter the city? When there is 'the Holy One in your midst.' I will not enter the heavenly city until there is holiness in your midst; when you possess the holy city of Jerusalem below, then I will enter the city of the Heavenly Jerusalem. The Gemara asks: Is there a Jerusalem above? The Gemara replies: Yes, as it is written, *'Jerusalem built as a city joined together.'* By the way, look at another verse commonly explained in a distorted fashion. Ask people: What is 'a city joined together'? They tell you: What do you mean? The eastern part and the western part, East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem, a city joined together! Just let the American embassy move here, and that's it - joined together, done! But gentlemen, 'joined together' means that the city below joins together with the Jerusalem above. When Jerusalem down here is truly a spiritual Jerusalem - not a Jerusalem of Teddy Stadium and shopping malls, but a spiritual Jerusalem - then it is joined together with the Heavenly Jerusalem. Then Hashem will enter the Heavenly Jerusalem, when Jerusalem below is truly a city of divine service. Rashi brings yet another explanation, noting that some commentators interpret *ir* (city) from the language of hatred (*eivah* / *tzar*), as in what Shmuel said to Shaul: *'Hashem has departed from you and become your enemy (*veyehi arecha*).' 'Arecha'* means your enemy. Thus the meaning is: I will not enter in a state of hatred, or I will not come out of terrifying wrath. This is how some explain the word *ir* here.
*'They shall walk after Hashem, like a lion He shall roar; for He shall roar, and the children shall tremble from the west.'* *'They shall walk after Hashem, like a lion He shall roar.'* Rashi explains according to the simple meaning: the lion will roar for them to leave the exile and follow Him; Hashem will roar like a lion to bring them out of exile. *'And the children shall tremble from the west'* (*miyam*, from the sea) - as Targum Yonatan renders: 'And their exiles shall gather from the west' - meaning from across the sea. The Malbim explains: *'They shall walk after Hashem'* - when they are outside the city, there they will find Hashem. As we explained earlier, Hashem does not descend into the city, but neither does He abandon them completely. When they go into exile, they will find Hashem, and then *'they shall walk after Hashem.'* *'Like a lion He shall roar'* - what does this mean? The Malbim explains: We noted that Hashem interacts with them through the ministering angel (*sar*) of Ashur. The ministering angel of Ashur is represented by a lion. Thus, Hashem roars through the lion, cloaking Himself within the ministering angel of Ashur, and he roars. Through that roar, *'the children shall tremble from the sea'* - the children will tremble and fear the lion's roar, which is really Hashem roaring through the lion, and then they will tremble and repent. *'They shall tremble like a bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Ashur, and I will settle them in their homes, says Hashem.'* Hashem says: They will tremble like a bird hastening out of Egypt, and like a dove hastening out of the land of Ashur. Why does He use the example of a dove? The Malbim explains that among doves, there are species that recognize their home from vast distances, like homing pigeons. So too, those lost in the land of Ashur are called 'the lost ones' (*ovdim*). Why lost? Because they were cast so far away. Yet He tells you: they too are like a dove; even if a dove travels far away, it knows how to return to its nest. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Even those lost in the land of Ashur, who seemed entirely lost, will tremble and return to their nest. *'And I will settle them in their homes, says Hashem'* - *al bateihem* means unto their homes. Through this, they will return to their homes, bringing about the complete redemption. Radak asks: Why did the verse mention only Egypt and Ashur, when they are exiled throughout the entire world? Radak explains: There are indeed many other places, but He mentioned the two places where they sought help and received a slap in the face. They thought to turn to Egypt, and Egypt proved to be a crushed reed. They thought to turn to Ashur, and Ashur brought them no salvation, but instead exiled them. Thus, the two places they sought to rely upon were the very places where they stumbled and were exiled. Therefore, the verse mentions these two places specifically, though in truth the redemption will be a comprehensive ingathering from all places, speedily in our days.