Yirmiyahu Perek 3

Yirmiyahu Perek 3-
Sefer Yirmiyahu is taught by Rabbi Harold Sutton, Rabbi of Congregation Hochma U'Mussar; Rosh Yeshivat Magen David Yeshivah; Rabbi at the Sephardic Rabbinical College.

Yirmiyahu says that if a man divorces his wife and she marries another, he may not take her back again after that. But the Jews “cheated on” God with many idols and He is still willing to take them back! Look around - is there any place they didn’t cheat on God? They sat by the side of the road, eagerly waiting for idolators to come! They defiled the land and rain was withheld, but they refused to be corrected.Why don’t they turn back to God and call Him“Father” again? If they would only do that, His anger would pass. Instead, they squeeze in as much evil as they are able.

God told Yirmiyahu to bring back exiles from the Ten Tribes. Yirmiyahu told them to return and that God would not be angry forever. All they had to do was acknowledge their sins, for rebelling against God. Return, the prophet tells them, and God will accept them. He will give the people leaders who will direct them according to His will and who will feed them knowledge and understanding. When the people are once again prosperous in the land, they will no longer need to go to battle bearing the Ark of the Covenant as in the old days; war will be a thing of the past.

Jerusalem will be considered the throne of God by all nations, who will gather there to serve Him. Judah and Israel will be reunited into one nation again. God gave them a desirable land and He asks that they call Him their Father again and follow Him. The nation betrayed God like a faithless wife. A voice will be heard - the Jews crying that they forgot God. Return, Yirmiyahu says, and God will cure them of their backsliding tendencies. The people will realize that they turned to idols in vain - only God can save them. The idolatry of generations has left its toll on the nation; they are totally disgraced because they sinned against God for so long.

Summary provided by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz of the Orthodox Union.

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