ירמיהו, פרק ט״ו, פסוק י״ט

In moments of deep crisis and despair, a divine response offers both conditions and comfort to a suffering prophet. Following his intense complaints and personal anguish, God presents the prophet with a twofold mission of repair in order to continue his calling. The first step involves a demand to return, which commentators understand in two distinct ways. One approach suggests this is a personal directive for the prophet himself. He must repent and express regret for the despairing complaints he directed toward God. If he does so, God will forgive him, support him, and restore him to his former strength and standing [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, another perspective views this as a mission directed outwardly toward the nation. If the prophet actively works to lead the people to repentance, God promises that his efforts will be fully rewarded [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Fulfilling this condition grants the prophet the immense privilege of standing before God, which means maintaining the right to engage in constant prayer, offer thanks, and receive a continuous, uninterrupted flow of prophecy.

The second task requires the prophet to extract what is precious from what is worthless. This involves drawing out the good from the bad. The concept of the precious refers to someone who is respected and important, while the worthless describes that which is lowly or a person consumed by physical lusts and excessive eating [מצודת ציון, מלבי ם באור המילות, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The prophet must labor to rescue an honorable person from a state of wickedness, guiding them back to a proper life [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Even if complete transformation is not possible, he must at least succeed in identifying the valuable souls and separating them from the wicked [מלבי״ם].

If the prophet successfully meets these challenges, he is promised an extraordinary reward: he will become like the very mouth of God. The primary approach among commentators is that reality itself will obey the prophet. Whatever he decrees will come to pass exactly as if God Himself had spoken the words [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. His spiritual authority will reach such heights that if God issues a decree, the prophet will possess the power to cancel it [רש״י]. Furthermore, just as God has the ability to elevate the honored from the lowly, the prophet will be granted this same transformative power [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Finally, God addresses the complex dynamic between the prophet and the people, offering both a promise and a strict warning. The prophet is assured that, ultimately, the people will mend their ways, accept his message, and approach him willingly, sparing him the need to chase after them [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, he must remain strictly on guard. While he is tasked with influencing the nation, he must be extremely careful not to adopt their harmful behaviors. He is warned against being misled by their arguments or yielding to societal pressure that might force him to agree with them and slide into their destructive paths [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם].