Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “And I said: How shall I place you among the children.… Indeed, a woman has betrayed her lover” (Jeremiah 3:19–20). “And I said: How shall I place you among the children” – all the miracles and mighty acts that I performed on your behalf were not so you would give Me My reward, but rather, so you would respect Me like children and call Me your Father. “I said: You shall call Me my Father” (Jeremiah 3:19) – what miracles did I perform for any creature more than you, as you would walk after Me and I would walk before you and illuminate for you, as it is stated: “The Lord was going before them by day [in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to illuminate for them]” (Exodus 13:21).

“I said: You shall call Me my Father” (Jeremiah 3:19), but you, what did you do? “Indeed, a woman has betrayed her lover” (Jeremiah 3:20) – it is not written here, “her husband,” but rather, “her lover.” Why? It is because a man who takes a wife and spends many days with her, even if he becomes poor, his wife does not reject him; rather, she says: When he was wealthy, he fed me and clothed me, and now that he has become poor, I do not reject him.

But when she is a prostitute,13The prostitute is with a man only because he pays her and not because they share a marriage relationship. if he gives to her she thanks him, if he does not give to her, she does not acknowledge him. That is why it is stated: “Indeed, a woman has betrayed her lover.” Another matter: When a prostitute has a lover and he honors her with an object, she shows it to her friends and says: See how much my lover has honored me.

But you, house of Israel, did not do so. Rather, I performed miracles and mighty acts on your behalf, as the clouds of glory were surrounding you, the manna was falling, the spring of water was rising, and the quail was available, but you did not laud Me, and you were not like a prostitute who lauds the fee <see ezekiel="" 16:31="">, as it is stated: “They did not say: Where is the Lord, who takes us up from the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 2:6).

I, too, “for I will not ascend in your midst” (Exodus 33:3), but rather, “behold, I am sending an angel” (Exodus 23:20).