Another matter: This what the verse said: “As they increased, so they sinned against Me; I will change their honor into shame” (Hosea 4:7). What is “as they increased”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: It means that everything that the prominent individuals perform, the generation performs.37The term “as they increased [kerubam]” is thus understood in the sense of “like their leader [kerabam].” How so?
If the Nasi permits something and the president of the court prohibits it, [the president of the court will say:] ‘If the Nasi permits should I prohibit? The judges will say: If the president of the court permits, shall we prohibit? The rest of the generation says: If the judges permit, shall we prohibit? Who caused the entire generation to sin?
It was the Nasi, who sinned first. Rabbi Simlai said: It is written: “For their mother committed harlotry; she who conceived them acted shamefully” (Hosea 2:7) – as they put their own words to shame before the masses. How so? The Sage sits and lectures in public: ‘Do not lend with interest,’ and he lends with interest.
He says: ‘Do not rob,’ and he robs. He says: ‘Do not steal,’ and he steals. Rabbi Berekhya said: There was an incident involving a certain person whose garment was stolen, and he went to file a complaint about it with the judge, and he found it spread on his bed. And Rabbi Berekhya said: There was an incident involving a certain person whose kettle was stolen, and he went to file a complaint about it with the judge, and he found it on his stove.
That is, “as they increased, so they sinned against Me.” Another matter: “As they increased, so they sinned against Me” (Hosea 4:7) – Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The more lands I provided for them, the more they sinned against Me. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Their altars too will be as heaps on the furrows of the field” (Hosea 12:12).38They built altars for idol worship on the furrows of all the fields that they had.
Another matter: The more I increased their wealth, the more they sinned against Me. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Their silver and gold they made into idols for themselves” (Hosea 8:4). Another matter: The more I increased their kings, the more they sinned against Me.
From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “All their kings have fallen; no one among them calls to Me” (Hosea 7:7). Another matter: The more I increased their children, the more they sinned against Me, as it is stated: “When you will beget children…”