הֲבֵן֩ יַקִּ֨יר לִ֜י אֶפְרַ֗יִם אִ֚ם יֶ֣לֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִ֔ים כִּֽי־מִדֵּ֤י דַבְּרִי֙ בּ֔וֹ זָכֹ֥ר אֶזְכְּרֶ֖נּוּ ע֑וֹד עַל־כֵּ֗ן הָמ֤וּ מֵעַי֙ ל֔וֹ רַחֵ֥ם אֲֽרַחֲמֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)
Bukankah Efraim anak-Ku yang berharga, anak kesayangan yang menjadi kegembiraan-Ku? Sebab setiap kali Aku berbicara tentang dia, Aku tetap mengingatnya dengan sungguh-sungguh; karena itu batin-Ku bergejolak karena dia; Aku pasti akan mengasihaninya, demikianlah firman Yang Mahakekal.
The Gate of Unity
The sign [or mnemonic] has no [actual] relation to the essence of the matter, but is merely a memory aide, as stated,9Jeremiah 31:20 “Make signs for yourself.”
Sefat Emet
This is *the fire of love* of which it says (Song_of_Songs.8.7) "Many waters cannot quench the love." As we find (Sotah 21a), "A sin extinguishes a mitzvah, but does not extinguish Torah." (The Sages (Vayikra_Rabbah.2.3) similarly expounded the verse (Jeremiah.31.20) "A darling child to Me is Ephraim... whenever I just speak with him" -- "sufficient is My Speaking that I placed within him.") And it says (Jeremiah.23.29) "My words are like fire, declares the Lord."