ירמיהו, פרק נ׳, פסוק ז׳

The Israelites are compared to a lost and abandoned flock of sheep, completely exposed to danger without any protection. In this vulnerable state, they become easy prey. Anyone who happens upon them consumes and exploits them for pure pleasure [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. Beyond these opportunists, the nation faces fierce adversaries who attack and oppress them out of a burning, destructive hatred rather than for any practical benefit [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ].

Remarkably, these attackers feel no moral guilt for their cruelty. They boldly claim they are free from any blame for harming the nation [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. Their justification rests on the belief that the Israelites deserve destruction because they sinned against God, essentially giving their enemies a free pass to ruin them [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. However, this reasoning is not merely an excuse used by hostile nations. It is also the prophet's own explanation for why such terrible suffering befell the people in the first place [רד״ק].

The severity of this sin is magnified by understanding exactly who God is to the nation. First, God is recognized as a true and just home, serving as a protective shelter for the people as long as they followed His will [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, שטיינזלץ]. This concept of a safe shelter connects to a secure fold for the flock, highlighting that the people abandoned the path of social justice and fairness toward one another [מלבי״ם]. Second, God is the ultimate source of hope for the nation's ancestors. The forefathers placed their complete trust in Him, and He faithfully fulfilled their hopes [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק]. Ultimately, the failure of the Israelites is twofold. They destroyed their society by abandoning justice among themselves, and they simultaneously severed their spiritual bond with the God of their ancestors [מלבי״ם].