ירמיהו, פרק י״ד, פסוק י״ב

External acts of worship lose all meaning when they are not accompanied by a genuine change in behavior. God makes it clear that as long as the people cling to their wicked ways, He will completely reject their attempts to draw near to Him [מצודת דוד]. Even when the people declare a fast, God will refuse to listen to their pleas. The act of fasting inherently implies prayer and crying out, as a fast does not exist without them [רד״ק].

The nature of this rejected plea is understood in several ways. It can be viewed simply as their standard prayer [מצודת ציון], a desperate shout of brokenness [רד״ק], or the specific melody of their chanting [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, this vocal expression represents the songs of praise that typically precede formal prayer, indicating that God refuses to hear even the very beginning of their approach to Him [מלבי״ם].

This absolute rejection extends beyond prayer to physical acts of worship. Bringing burnt offerings and grain offerings will do nothing to appease God, and He will not accept their sacrifices [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Instead of responding to their empty rituals, His reaction will be harsh and final. God will bring about their complete destruction through a devastating combination of war, famine, and plagues [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].