They said in the name of Abba the expounder: "shicheth lo": Israel has corrupted itself; (and) "not" its Father in heaven. And why all this? So as not to give a pretext to the wicked to say: "If we sin against Him, we distress Him" (for which reason He has forbidden us to sin). An analogy: A man is taken out to be crucified. His father cries over him and his mother cries and beats her breast over him. He says: "Woe unto me!" and she says: "Woe unto me!" But there is woe only unto him who is taken out to be crucified! And thus does Scripture state (Isaiah 3:9) "Woe unto their souls, for they have brought evil upon themselves!"