Midrasz do Ozeasza 4:14

MISHNAH: Since murderous acts were increased, the law concerning the heifer was abolished. This refers to the time of Elazar b. Dinai, who was nicknamed Techana b. P'risha, and who was later named Ben Haratzchan (the murdered). Since it increased adulterous acts the bitter water was stopped and R. Jochanan b. Jochai was the one to stop it, as he based his action on the following passage (Hos. 4, 14) I cannot inflict punishment on your daughters when they play the harlot, nor on your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves associate with lewd women. Since the death of Jose b. Joezer of Zerida. and of Joseph b. Jochanan of Jerusalem, the clusters (great men) were destroyed, as it is said (Micha 7, 1) It is no cluster to eat, no first ripe fruit for which my soul longeth. Jochanan, the High-priest, stopped the chapter of the confession of Tithes, he also abolished certain songs of the Levites with the sounding of the fingers. (Ib; b) Until his days the striking of the hammer was heard in Jerusalem, [during the Moed week], when he stopped it. During all his life-time no man ever asked whether he has to give tithes from grain he bought or not, for it was a sure thing that its tithes were separated. (Fol. 48) Since the Sanhedrin were abolished together with it were the songs which were accustomed to be heard in the winehouses concerning which this passage said (Is. 24, 9) Amidst singing shall they no more drink wine; bitter shall be the strong drink to him who drinketh it. Since the death of the first prophets, the Urim and Tummim were abolished. Since the destruction of the Temple, the Samir and the sweet honey were destroyed and trustworthy men disappeared, as it is said (Ps. 12, 2) Help, O Lord! for the pious have ceased to be; for the truthful have failed from among the children of man. R. Simon b. Gamaliel says in the name of R. Simon, the associate of the High-priest, "Since the destruction of the Temple there is not a single day without a curse and blissful dew did not come from heaven, the real taste of the fruit was removed." R. Simon says: "Also the fruit lost its richness."

(Bamidbar 5:30) "Or a man over whom there shall pass a spirit of rancor": What is the intent of this? (i.e., it is already written, viz. 5:14). — From "and he shall have forewarned his wife," (I might think that) this (i.e., forewarning) is optional, or that just as so long as he had not forewarned her, this (making her drink) is optional, then here (5:30), too, making her drink is optional; it is, therefore, written "Or a man over whom there shall pass a spirit of rancor and he warn his wife, then he shall stand the woman before the L-rd, and the Cohein shall do to her all of this law" — It is obligatory, and not optional. "and the Cohein shall do to her all of this law (31) and the man will be clean of sin.": If he did so, he will be clean of sin; if not, he will not be clean of sin. "and the man will be clean of sin": He should not say (if she drinks and dies) "Woe unto me! I have killed a daughter of Israel, Woe unto me! I have desecrated a daughter of Israel, Woe unto me! I have cohabited with a defiled one." This is the intent of "and he will be clean." Shimon b. Azzai says: Scripture here speaks of a woman who is clean (i.e., who has not been defiled); but since she has brought herself to these things (by secreting herself), she, too, shall not escape (some form of) punishment. This is the intent of "and the man will be free of sin, and that woman will bear her sin." Rebbi says: Scripture comes to teach you that it is the end of this woman (one who was defiled, even if a certain merit may suspend her death) to die of that death — "her belly will swell and her thigh will fall, and the woman will be a curse in the midst of her people." Variantly: Why is it written "and the man will be clean of sin"? (To teach that) "when the man is clean of sin, that woman will bear her sin" — as opposed to (Hoshea 4:14) "I shall not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your brides, when they fornicate. For they (themselves) betake themselves with the whores and sacrifice with the harlots, and a people that does not understand will fall!" He said to them: If you yourselves pursue harlotry, the waters, too, will not prove your wives. This is the intent of "and the man will be clean of sin" — Of that sin itself!

This is what God said to Israel: My children what do I seek from you? I seek no more than that you love one another, and honor one another, and that you have awe for one another