Мидраш к Ирмеяу 3:8

“She has become like a widow.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: They did not go to extremes vis-à-vis the attribute of justice, and the attribute of justice did not go to extremes in their regard.¹¹They did not sin in an extreme fashion and they were not punished in an extreme fashion (see Matnot Kehuna; Maharzu). They did not go to extremes vis-à-vis the attribute of justice, as it is stated: “The people were like complainers” (Numbers 11:1). “Complainers” is not written here, but rather, “like complainers.” “The princes of Judah were like those who move boundaries” (Hosea 5:10). “Those who move boundaries” is not written here, but rather, “like those who move boundaries.” “For like a wayward cow [Israel has strayed]” (Hosea 4:16), “For a [wayward] cow” is not written here, but rather, “like a wayward cow.” The attribute of justice, too, did not go to extremes in their regard. “She has become like a widow”—“A widow” is not written here, but rather, “like a widow”—like a woman whose husband went to a country overseas and plans to return to her. “He drew His bow like an enemy” (Lamentations 2:4), “enemy” is not written here, but rather, “like an enemy.” “The Lord was like an enemy” (Lamentations 2:5), “enemy” is not written here, but rather, “like an enemy.”
Another matter, “she has become like a widow.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Ukeva and the Rabbis, Rabbi Ḥama bar Ukeva said: [This is analogous] to a widow who was demanding her sustenance but was not demanding her marriage contract.¹²After a man’s death, his widow may choose to continue to live in his home and to be supported by his estate. She may also leave and demand payment of the sum specified in her marriage contract. Israel is compared here to a widow who chooses to be supported by her late husband’s estate rather than leaving and cutting all ties to her husband. The Rabbis said: [This is analogous] to a king who grew angry at the queen and wrote her a bill of divorce and then snatched it from her. Any time that she sought to marry another, he would say to her: ‘Where is your bill of divorce?’ Any time she would demand her sustenance, he would say to her: ‘Have I not already divorced you?’ So too, any time Israel would seek to engage in idol worship, the Holy One blessed be He would say to them: “Where is your mother’s bill of divorce?” (Isaiah 50:1). Any time they request that He perform miracles on their behalf, the Holy One blessed be He says to them: ‘I have already divorced you.’ That is what is written: “I sent her away and gave her bill of divorce to her” (Jeremiah 3:8).
Another matter, “she has become like a widow.” Rabbi Akiva and the Rabbis, Rabbi Akiva says: “Widow,” and you say “like a widow”? Rather, a widow from the Ten Tribes, but not a widow from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.¹³Rabbi Akiva is asserting that Jerusalem is described as a widow from the Ten Tribes but not from Judah and Benjamin, because he holds that Lamentations was composed before Judah and Benjamin were exiled (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, because he holds that the Ten Tribes are not destined to return, but Judah and Benjamin will eventually return (Maharzu). The Rabbis say: A widow from these and from those, but not from the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For neither Israel nor Judah is widowed from its God” (Jeremiah 51:5).

R. Meir was wont to say: When Israel were meritorious, they bore witness over themselves, viz. (Joshua 24:22) "And Joshua said to the people: Bear witness over yourselves that you have chosen the L-rd to serve Him. And they said: We are witnesses." When they went astray, viz. (Hoshea 12:1) "Ephraim has surrounded Me with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit," the tribe of Judah and Benjamin testified against them, viz. (Isaiah 5:3-4) "And now, dweller of Jerusalem and man of Judah. What more could have been done for my vineyard that I did not do for it?" When the tribe of Judah went astray, viz. (Malachi 2:11) "Judah has been faithless, etc.", He had the prophets bear witness against them, viz. (II Kings 17:13) "The L-rd has borne witness against Israel and Judah by the prophets of every vision, etc." When they went astray with the prophets, viz. (II Chronicles 36:16) "And they mocked the messengers of G-d and despised His prophets," He had the heavens bear witness against them, viz. (Devarim 4:26, 30:19) "I call to bear witness against you this day, the heavens." When they went astray with the heavens, viz. (Jeremiah 7:17) "Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (18) The children are gathering wood, and the gatherers are kindling the fire, and the women are kneading dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven!" — He had the earth bear witness against them, viz. (Ibid. 6:19) "Hear, O earth, I will bring evil upon this people." When they went astray with the earth, viz. (Hoshea 12:12) "Their altars, too, are like heaps upon the furrows of he field," He had the ways bear witness against them, viz. (Jeremiah 6:16) "Place yourself on the ways and see, etc." When they went astray with the ways, viz. (Ezekiel 16:25) "At every crossroad you built your lofty place," He had the mountains bear witness against them, viz. (Michah 6:2) "Hear, O mountains, the quarrel of the L-rd." When they went astray with the mountains, viz. (Hoshea 4:13) "They slaughter offerings upon the mountaintops," He had the nations bear witness against them, viz. (Jeremiah 6:18) "Therefore, hear, O nations, etc." When they went astray with the nations, viz. (Psalms 106:35) "and they mingled with the nations and learned their deeds," He had a beast bear witness against them, viz. (Isaiah 1:3) "The ox knows its owner, and the ass, its master's trough, but Israel does not know, etc." When they went astray with the beast, viz. (Psalms 106:20) "They exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ass, eating grass," He had the animal bear witness against them, viz. (Jeremiah 8:7) "Even the stork in the heavens knows its seasons … but My people do not know the law of the L-rd." When they went astray with the animal, viz. (Ezekiel 8:10) "And I came and I saw, and behold, every sort of image — disgusting creeping things and animals, etc.", He had the fish bear testimony against them, viz. (Iyyov 12:8) "Or speak to the earth and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will report to you, etc." When they went astray with the fish, viz. (Tzephaniah 1:3) "… and the fish of the sea and the stumbling blocks of the wicked," He had the ant bear witness against them, viz. (Proverbs 6:6-8) "Go to the ant, you sluggard, see its ways and grow wise. Though it has no officer … she prepares her food in the summer, etc." R. Shimon b. Elazar says: "Wretched is man, who must learn from the ant!" If he learned and acted (accordingly) would he be "wretched"? Rather, he should learn from its ways, but does not.