Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Midrash for Hosea 4:1

שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י רִ֤יב לַֽיהוָה֙ עִם־יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֠י אֵין־אֱמֶ֧ת וְֽאֵין־חֶ֛סֶד וְאֵֽין־דַּ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel! For the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no truth, nor mercy, Nor knowledge of God in the land.

Sifrei Devarim

If so, what is the intent of "And you shall learn them and you shall heed them to do them"? Scripture hereby apprises us that doing (the mitzvah) is contingent upon learning, and not, learning up doing. And thus do we find that the punishment for (not) learning is greater than that of (not) doing, viz.: (Hoshea 4:1) "Hear the word of the L-rd, O children of Israel. For the L-rd has a quarrel with the dwellers of the land. For there is no truth, and there is no lovingkindness, and there is no knowledge of the L-rd in the land."
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