Midrash su Geremia 2:22

R. Samuel b. lnya said in the name of Rab: "Whence do we know that a decree against a community is not confirmed." Is that true? Behold, it is written (Jer. 2, 22) The stain of thy sin remains before Me. But this is what he meant: Whence do we know that a decree issued against a community, even if confirmed, may nevertheless be cancelled? From the passage (Deut. 4, 7) As the Lord, our God, in all things that we call upon Him for. But it is also written (Isa. 55, 6) Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Hence, is there a difference? The latter passage refers to an individual, the former to a community. When is the proper time for an individual [to repent]? R. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "The ten days of repentence, between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement." (I Sam. 25, 38) And it came to pass, in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord smote Nabal. What is the reason for the ten days' waiting? R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "It corresponds to the ten meals which Nabal gave to David's servants." And R. Nachman, in the name of Rab, said: "This refers to the ten days of penitence [given to Nabal in which to repent]."

(18) R. Samuel b. lnya said in the name of Rab: "Whence do we know that a decree against a community is not confirmed." Is that true? Behold, it is written (Jer. 2, 22) The stain of thy sin remains before Me. But this is what he meant: Whence do we know that a decree issued against a community, even if confirmed, may nevertheless be cancelled? From the passage (Deut. 4, 7) As the Lord, our God, in all things that we call upon Him for. But it is also written (Isa. 55, 6) Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Hence, is there a difference? The latter passage refers to an individual, the former to a community. When is the proper time for an individual [to repent]? R. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "The ten days of repentence, between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement." (I Sam. 25, 38) And it came to pass, in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord smote Nabal. What is the reason for the ten days' waiting? R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "It corresponds to the ten meals which Nabal gave to David's servants." And R. Nachman, in the name of Rab, said: "This refers to the ten days of penitence [given to Nabal in which to repent]."

Our Rabbis were taught: It happened that Acher was riding upon his horse on the Sabbath, and R. Mair was walking behind him to learn the Torah from his mouth. He said to him: "Mair, turn thee backwards, for I have already measured by means of my horse's hoofs that up to this point is the legal limit of the Sabbath." R. Mair then said to him: "Return thyself also." Whereupon Acher replied. "Have I not answered thee already what I have heard from behind the curtain?" R. Mair forced him to enter a place of learning. He said to a child: "Repeat for me thy verse," [which thou hadst studied today.] He quoted to him: (Is. 48, 22) There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. He brought him to another house of learning. Acher said to a child: "Repeat for me thy verse." The child quoted to him: (Jer. 2, 22) For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me. He then brought him to another place of learning, whereupon Acher said to a child: "Repeat for me thy verse." The child quoted: (Ib. 4, 30) And thou, (Ib. b) that are spoiled, what dost thou, that thou clothest thyself with scarlet, that thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, that thou enlargest thine eyes with paint? In vain dost thou make thyself fair. He forced Acher to enter thirteen houses of learning and all quoted to him the same way. In the last one he said to the child: "Repeat for me thy verse." The child quoted to him (Ps. 50. 16) But unto the wicked (V'larasha) God saith: What hast thou to do to declare My statutes. That child was a stammerer and it sounded as if he had said Vle'elish [instead of V'larasha]. God saith, etc., whereupon Acher drew out a knife and cut the child into pieces and sent it to the thirteen houses of learning. According to others he only remarked: "If there had been a knife in my possession I would have cut him in pieces."