Midrash sobre Oséias 4:6

When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give the Torah to Israel, He asked: “Will ye accept My Torah?” “Indeed,” they replied. “Then give me a surety that you will fulfill it,” He said. “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be our surety,” they answered. Whereupon He responded: “Your patriarchs required guarantors for themselves, since Abraham said: Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? (Gen. 15:8); while Isaac loved the one I hated, as it is written: But Esau, I hate (Mal. 1:3); and Jacob declared: My way is hid from the Lord (Isa. 40:27).” “Then our children shall be our guarantors,” they exclaimed. The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately accepted them as sureties and gave the Torah to Israel, as it is said: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou found strength (Ps. 8:3). Therefore, whenever Israel neglects the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the sureties, as is said: Thou hast forgotten the law; I will also forget thy children (Hos. 4:6).

R. Elazar said again: "Even for the sake of one righteous man the whole world was created, as it is written (Gen. 1, 4) And God saw the light, that it was good. And good refers only to a just man, since it is said (Is. 3, 10) Say to the just, that he is good." R. Elazar said again: "Whoever forgots some of his studies, causes exile to his cliildren, as it is said (Hos. 4, 6) As thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, so will I myself also forget thy children." R. Abaha said: "He will be removed from his high station, as it is said (Ib.) Because thou hast rejected knowledge, so will I also reject thee from officiating before me."

“Draw me; we will run after you . The king has brought me to his chambers; let us exult and rejoice in you. We will recount your love through wine; sincerely do they love you” (Song of Songs 1:4).
“Draw me; we will run after you.” Rabbi Meir said: When the Israelites stood before Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Am I giving you the Torah without assurance? Rather, bring Me good guarantors that you will observe it, and I will give it to you.’¹⁵⁶The midrash is expounding on the term “draw me [moshkheni],” which is related to the term collateral [mashkon], or “take collateral from me [mashkeni].” They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, our ancestors will be guarantors for us.’ He said to them: ‘Your ancestors need guarantors.’ To what is this matter analogous? It is to one who went to borrow from the king. [The king] said to him: ‘Bring me a guarantor and I will lend to you.’ He went and brought him a guarantor. [The king] said to him: ‘Your guarantor needs a guarantor.’ He went and brought him a second guarantor. [The king] said to him: ‘Your guarantor requires a guarantor.’ Once he brought him a third guarantor, he said: ‘Know that because of this, I am lending to you.’ So, too, when the Israelites stood to receive the Torah, He said to them: ‘Bring Me good guarantors that you will observe it, and I will give it to you.’ They said before him: ‘Master of the universe, our ancestors are guaranteeing for us.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I have [claims against] your ancestors. Abraham, I have [a claim] against him, as he said: “How will I know” (Genesis 15:8).¹⁵⁷When God promised to give the Land to Abraham, Abaraham asked: “How will I know that I will inherit it?” instead of just trusting God’s promise. Isaac, I have [a claim] against him, as he loved Esau, and I hated him, as it is stated: “And Esau I hated” (Malachi 1:3); Jacob, who said: “My way is hidden from the Lord” (Isaiah 40:27). Rather, bring me effective guarantors and I will give it to you.’
They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, our prophets will be guarantors for us.’ He said to them: ‘I have [claims] against them, as it is stated: “And the shepherds were disloyal to me [and the prophets prophesied to the Baal]” (Jeremiah 2:8). And it is written: “Like foxes among the ruins, so are your prophets, Israel” (Ezekiel 13:4). Rather, bring me effective guarantors and I will give it to you.’ They said: ‘Our children are guaranteeing for us.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They are certainly good guarantors, I will give it to you on their account.’ That is what is written: “From the mouths of infants and sucklings You founded strength” (Psalms 8:3), and strength means only Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people (Psalms 29:11). When payment is demanded from the borrower, but he lacks resources to pay, who is apprehended? It is the guarantor. That is what is stated: “You forgot the Torah of your God; I, too, will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6). Rabbi Aḥa said: “I, too,” [means that] as it were, I, too, am subject to forgetfulness. Who will say at the [reading of the] Torah before Me: Bless the blessed Lord? Is it not the sucklings? That is, due to the laxity of the Torah in you, your children were apprehended, as it is stated: “I struck your children in vain” (Jeremiah 2:30). As it were, I, too, am subject to forgetfulness. Who will say before Me: Bless the blessed Lord? Therefore, a person must introduce his son to Torah and train him in study, so that he will prolong his days in the world, as it is stated: “For with me your days will increase” (Proverbs 9:11).