ירמיהו, פרק י״ד, פסוק ז׳

In a time of severe drought and deep distress, the prophet steps forward to pray on behalf of the nation. Even though he is personally innocent, he fully associates himself with the guilt of the public and begs for mercy, much like Moses did for the Israelites [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The prayer begins in a state of complete humility, acknowledging that the people's wrongful actions actively testify against them. This testimony operates on two distinct levels. In the physical world, the fact that rain is withheld specifically in the Land of Israel, while it continues to fall in neighboring lands, serves as undeniable proof of the nation's guilt [רד״ק]. On a spiritual level, the wrongful acts themselves generate accusing forces that demand justice and bear witness against those who committed them [חומת אנך]. These failures are deeply rooted in a distortion of the intellect, representing conscious errors in judgment [מלבי״ם].

Recognizing this heavy burden of guilt, the prophet realizes the people do not deserve salvation on their own merit. Therefore, his only remaining plea is for God to act solely for the sake of His own reputation. He asks God to show kindness so that His great name will not be disgraced among the nations. The fear is that if Israel were to be destroyed, the gentiles would mistakenly credit their idols for the victory, believing that God lacked the power to save His own people [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, God's name is permanently attached to the people of Israel, binding them together in an inseparable bond [רד״ק].

The plea concludes with a deep confession, admitting to a vast number of rebellions and sins against God. These rebellions go beyond intellectual mistakes; they represent a spiritual mischief and a revolt driven by deeply ingrained bad habits [מלבי״ם, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The nature of this confession highlights exactly why the nation must rely entirely on God's name. One perspective notes that the people actually deserve a double punishment—both for the sheer volume of their rebellions and for having the audacity to sin directly against an exalted King. Faced with such severe guilt, their only hope is to appeal to God's reputation [מלבי״ם]. Yet, another approach views this confession as a reflection of divine mercy toward the public. It reveals that God compassionately treats the deliberate, rebellious acts of the community as if they were merely unintentional mistakes. Recognizing this profound mercy gives the prophet the absolute confidence to rely on God's compassion and ask Him to intervene for the sake of His name [חומת אנך].