תהלים, פרק ק״ו, פסוק מ׳

Spiritual betrayal and the turning away from God never go without consequence. The Israelites' unfaithfulness and pursuit of idol worship triggered a direct and harsh divine response [אבן עזרא]. This reaction reflects a tragic historical cycle of sin and punishment, much like the patterns seen during the era of the Judges, when the nation repeatedly strayed from the right path [מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The resulting fracture in the relationship between God and His people is marked by deep contrasts. God's anger brought severe punishment upon the nation [מלבי״ם]. This anger evolved into a profound disgust rooted in their abominable actions [מצודת ציון], leading God to push the people away and distance them from Himself [מאירי]. This rejection is especially painful because Israel is traditionally defined as God's own inheritance, a status that represents a bond of pure love and holiness. Pushing away this very inheritance signifies a complete and heartbreaking reversal of their once loving relationship [מלבי״ם].

There are two ways to understand how this strict justice actually played out, explaining the dual reaction of God's anger toward the people and His rejection of His inheritance [אלשיך]. One approach explains that when divine anger is released as a destructive force, it does not distinguish between the wicked and the good. As a result, the punishment swept through the entire nation, meaning even the righteous, who represent God's true inheritance, were caught in the widespread rejection. A second approach suggests a different progression. In this view, God's anger was initially focused solely on the people who sinned. However, upon seeing the sheer scale of their idol worship, His disgust expanded, ultimately causing His rejection to cover His entire inheritance because of those terrible acts.