(Devarim 32:5) "Shicheth lo lo. Banav mumam": Even though they are full of blemishes, they are still called sons (banim). These are the words of R. Meir. And thus was R. Meir wont to say: If when they are full of blemishes they are called "banim," if they are unblemished, how much more so! Similarly (Isaiah 1:4) "evil seed, corrupt sons": If when they are corrupt they are called "sons," if they were not corrupt, how much more so! Similarly, (Jeremiah 4:22) "They are wise to do evil": Now does this not follow a fortiori? If they do evil they are called "wise," how much more so, if they do good! Similarly, (Ibid.) "They are foolish sons, and not understanding": Does this not follow a fortiori? If when they are foolish, they are called "sons," how much more so, if they were understanding! Similarly, (Ezekiel 23:31) "And they come to you as a people comes, and My people sit before you and hear your words": I might think, they hear and fulfill; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "but they do not fulfill them." Now does this not follow a fortiori? If when they hear and do not fulfill they are called "My people," how much more so, when they hear and fulfill!
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!"
(Devarim, Ibid.) "a crooked and twisted generation": Moses hereby says to Israel: You are crooked and twisted. You are fit only for the flame! An analogy: One has a twisted staff in his hand. He gives it to a craftsman to repair. (If he can) he repairs it by hand. If not, he straightens it with a press; if not, he shapes it with an adze; if not — he consigns it to the flames! And thus does Scripture state (Ezekiel 21:36-37) "I will place you in the hands of brutish men, artisans of destruction. You will be consigned to the flames!"
Variantly: "a crooked and twisted generation": Moses hereby says to Israel: "With the measure that you have measured I have measured you." And thus is it written (II Samuel 22:27) "With the pure You are pure, and with the crooked You are crafty."
(דברים לב ה) שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם מְלֵאִים מוּמִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בָּנָיו מוּמָם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵין בָּהֶם מוּמִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה א ד): ״זֶרַע מְרֵעִים בָּנִים מַשְׁחִיתִים״, אִם כְּשֶׁמַּשְׁחִיתִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים, אִלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ מַשְׁחִיתִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ (ירמיה ד כב): ״חֲכָמִים הֵמָּה לְהָרַע״, וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר: וּמַה כְּשֶׁהֵם מְרֵעִים קְרוּיִים חֲכָמִים, אִלּוּ הָיוּ מְטִיבִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ (שם): ״בָּנִים סְכָלִים הֵמָּה״, וּמַה כְּשֶׁהֵם סְכָלִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים, אִלּוּ הָיוּ נְבוֹנִים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ (יחזקאל לג לא): ״וְיָבֹאוּ אֵלֶיךָ כִּמְבוֹא עָם וְיֵשְׁבוּ לְפָנֶיךָ עַמִּי וְשָׁמְעוּ אֶת דְּבָרֶיךָ״, יָכוֹל שׁוֹמְעִים וְעוֹשִׂים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שם): ״וְאוֹתָם לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ״. וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר: וּמַה כְּשֶׁהֵם שׁוֹמְעִים וְאֵינָם עוֹשִׂים קְרוּיִים עַמִּי, אִלּוּ שׁוֹמְעִים וְעוֹשִׂים עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(Devarim 32:5) "Shicheth lo lo. Banav mumam": Even though they are full of blemishes, they are still called sons (banim). These are the words of R. Meir. And thus was R. Meir wont to say: If when they are full of blemishes they are called "banim," if they are unblemished, how much more so! Similarly (Isaiah 1:4) "evil seed, corrupt sons": If when they are corrupt they are called "sons," if they were not corrupt, how much more so! Similarly, (Jeremiah 4:22) "They are wise to do evil": Now does this not follow a fortiori? If they do evil they are called "wise," how much more so, if they do good! Similarly, (Ibid.) "They are foolish sons, and not understanding": Does this not follow a fortiori? If when they are foolish, they are called "sons," how much more so, if they were understanding! Similarly, (Ezekiel 23:31) "And they come to you as a people comes, and My people sit before you and hear your words": I might think, they hear and fulfill; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "but they do not fulfill them." Now does this not follow a fortiori? If when they hear and do not fulfill they are called "My people," how much more so, when they hear and fulfill!
מִשּׁוּם אַבָּה הַדּוֹרֵס אָמְרוּ: שִׁחֲתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל לָאוִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לָרְשָׁעִים לוֹמַר: כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאָנוּ חוֹטְאִים לְפָנָיו אָנוּ מִצְטַעֲרִים לְפָנָיו. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאֶחָד שֶׁיָּצָא לִצָּלֵב וְאָבִיו בּוֹכֶה עָלָיו וְאִמּוֹ מִתְחַבֶּטֶת לְפָנָיו, זֶה אוֹמֵר: אוֹי לִי! וְזֶה אוֹמֵר: אוֹי לִי! אֲבָל אֵין זֶה הֹוָה אֶלָּא עַל אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא לִצָּלֵב. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה ג ט): ״אוֹי לְנַפְשָׁם כִּי גָמְלוּ לָהֶם רָעָה״.
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!"
דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל, אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: עַקְמָנִים אַתֶּם, פְּתַלְתָּנִים אַתֶּם, וְאֵין אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים אֶלָּא לָאוּר. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדוֹ מַקֵּל מְעֻקָּם וּנְתָנוֹ לְאֻמָּן לְתַקְּנוֹ, מְתַקְּנוֹ בָּאוּר, וְאִם לָאו מְכַוְּנוֹ בַּמַּעְגִּילָה, וְאִם לָאו מְפַסְּלוֹ בַּמַּעְצָד וּמַשְׁלִיכוֹ לָאוּר. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל כא לו): ״וּנְתַתִּיךְ בְּיַד אֲנָשִׁים בֹּעֲרִים חָרָשֵׁי מַשְׁחִית״.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "a crooked and twisted generation": Moses hereby says to Israel: You are crooked and twisted. You are fit only for the flame! An analogy: One has a twisted staff in his hand. He gives it to a craftsman to repair. (If he can) he repairs it by hand. If not, he straightens it with a press; if not, he shapes it with an adze; if not — he consigns it to the flames! And thus does Scripture state (Ezekiel 21:36-37) "I will place you in the hands of brutish men, artisans of destruction. You will be consigned to the flames!"
דָּבָר אַחֵר: אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּמִדָּה שֶׁמְּדַדְתֶּם בָּהּ מָדַדְתִּי לָכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ש״ב כב כז): ״עִם נָבָר תִּתָּבָר וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ תִּתַּפָּל״, דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל.
Variantly: "a crooked and twisted generation": Moses hereby says to Israel: "With the measure that you have measured I have measured you." And thus is it written (II Samuel 22:27) "With the pure You are pure, and with the crooked You are crafty."