ירמיהו, פרק כ״ג, פסוק כ״ב

The true test of a prophet lies in the message delivered to the public. An authentic messenger of God does not flatter wrongdoers or offer justifications for their actions, but instead issues a clear call for moral repair and a return to the right path. The primary approach among commentators views the claim of standing in God's inner circle as a conditional proof against false prophets. If these individuals had truly stood in God's presence and received a genuine vision, their message would have been entirely different [רד״ק]. Rather than misleading the public with lies, offering empty promises of peace, and allowing the current situation to continue without demanding a change of heart [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ], they would have taught the people the laws and Commandments of the Torah [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. In fact, even if they had not been sent with a direct prophecy, a genuine desire to correct the public would have led them to rely on the Commandments that had already been given [חומת אנך].

In the midst of this critique, God's enduring love for the nation remains visible. Even while they are traveling down a destructive path, He still refers to them affectionately as His people [חומת אנך]. The ultimate purpose of any true prophecy is to inspire a return to God [מצודת ציון]. While a false prophet ends up supporting those who do wrong, a true prophet strives to save them and correct their course.

The call to return addresses two distinct types of spiritual failures. First, the people must turn away from their evil path, which refers to actual sins and the direct violation of prohibitions. Second, they must address the evil found within their everyday actions [מצודת ציון]. This second category points to a deeper issue: the performance of positive obligations in a flawed manner. When someone fulfills a Commandment driven by improper motives, arrogance, or incorrect procedures, a measure of evil becomes mixed into the good deed. True spiritual repair requires turning away from both the outright sins and the corrupted good deeds [חומת אנך].