Midrash su Geremia 27:2

(Fol. 41a) R. Zeira tried to avoid the sight of R. Juda because he wanted to go up to Palestine and R. Juda had said: "Whoever goes up from Babylon to Palestine transgresses the positive law which says (Jer. 27, 2.) Unto Babylon shall they be carried, and there shall they remain until the day that I think of them, saith the Lord."

The Holy One, blessed be He, told Jeremiah: Make thee bands and bars and put them upon thy neck (ibid. 27:2), just as, in the future, Nebuchadnezzar will bind them about the necks of My children. And he did so (on himself). However, Hananiah removed them from Jeremiah’s neck and destroyed them, as it is said: Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying: “Thus saith the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon” (Jer. 28: 10–11). Jeremiah, thereupon, called out to Hananiah: There have been prophets before me and you, but the prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him (ibid., v. 9). I have prophesied misfortune, but if my prophecy does not come to pass, I shall not necessarily have lied, for the Holy One, blessed be He, may threaten to do evil and then retract. But you have prophesied good tidings; if your words do not come to pass, then you shall be a false prophet, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, promises to do a good deed He does not retract His promise even though men transgress against Him.

(Fol. 111) R. Zera tried to avoid the sight of R. Juda, because he wanted to go up to the land of Israel, and R. Juda had said: "Whoever comes up to the land of Israel transgresses the positive commandment which says (Jer. 22, 2) Unto Babylon shall they be carried and there should they remain until the day I think of them, saith the Lord." R. Zaira, however, explains that the above passage refers to the holy vessels. But R. Juda says that there is another passage for the vessels (Songs 2, 7) I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, etc. R. Zaira again says: "The last passage means that Israel should not go by force." R. Juda in return says that for this there is another passage with an adjuration. To which R. Zaira says that the other passage of adjuration is necessary for what R. Josa b. Chanina says: "What for are these three admonitions [mentioned in Songs, 2, 7; 3, 5; 5, 8] One that Israel shall not go to their land with force, and one that the Holy One, praised be He! adjured Israel that they should not rebel against the nations; the other one is that the Holy One, praised be He! adjured all the nations that they should not enslave Israel too much." Still R. Juda maintains that [for the last inference] there is another passage (Ib. 2, 7) That ye awake not nor excite my love. R. Zaira, in return, explains the passage as R. Levi said: "What for are these six adjurations necessary? The three are for the purpose above mentioned, and the other three are for the purpose that the prophets shall not reveal the redemption; that Israel shall not cause the redemption to be postponed; and that the principles of intercalations, [or the principles of the Torah,] should not be revealed to the idolators." (Ib., ib., ib.) By the gazelles and by the hinds of the field. Said R. Elazar: "The Holy One said unto Israel: 'If you will fulfil this command, it is good; but if not, I will renounce your flesh like that of gazelles and the hinds of the field.' "