“We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day that she will be spoken for?” (Song of Songs 8:8). “We have a little sister” – this is Israel. Rabbi Azarya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon: In the future, all the princes of the nations of the world are destined to come and denounce Israel before the Holy One blessed be He and say, ‘Master of the universe, these engaged in idol worship and those engaged in idol worship; these engaged in licentiousness and those engaged in licentiousness; these shed blood and those shed blood.
Why, then, are these descending into Gehenna and those are not descending?’21The nations of the world will ask why they are going to Gehenna and Israel is not, given that they behaved similarly. The Holy One blessed be He will say to them: ‘“We have a little sister” – just as with a child, no matter what he does no one reprimands him; why? Because he is a child. Similarly, to whatever extent Israel is tainted by their iniquities all the days of the year, Yom Kippur comes and atones for them, as it is stated: “For on this day He shall atone for you”’ (Leviticus 16:30).