וּבְאָמְרִ֥י לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאת֔וֹ וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃
און אַז איך זאָג צו דעם שלעכטן: שטאַרבן מוזטו שטאַרבן, און ער קערט זיך אום פֿון זײַנע זינד, און טוט רעכט און גערעכטיקײט;
Kli Yakar
And it seems to me that the intention of the Scripture is to warn him to return out of love, for every fearful person distances himself from that which he fears, while every lover draws near to his beloved. Therefore it says, Return, O Israel, unto the Lord (Hosea 14:2) — literally to Him, in the manner of a lover who connects himself to his beloved. And concerning this, our Sages of blessed memory said (Pesachim 50b, see there), it is written (Psalms 57:11), For Your kindness is great unto the heavens, and it is written (Psalms 108:5), For Your kindness is great above the heavens. The former refers to those who act out of love, etc. This means that one who acts out of fear does not truly connect with the Blessed One, and his connection is only unto the heavens but not including the heavens. Therefore, the kindness is also unto the heavens. But one who acts out of love cleaves above the heavens to the Blessed One, therefore the kindness is also “above the heavens.”
And He says, because until now you have only repented out of fear, this is what is meant by for you have stumbled in your iniquity (Hosea 14:2). This means that previously, when you repented out of fear, you were not completely cleansed, but only halfway, because you had already stumbled in your iniquities — the intentional sin became an unintentional stumbling. Thus, the impression of the stumbling remains within you, and you were not completely cleansed of the sin, as it has become an unintentional error, and you still require a sacrifice for the unintentional sin.
But when you return to the Lord out of love, that is, above the heavens, then you will be completely cleansed, and you will not need even a sacrifice, but only a verbal confession. This is what is meant by (Hosea 14:3), Take words with you and return to the Lord. Literally to Him. Say to Him, Forgive all iniquity. That He will completely forgive iniquity, not partially as one who returns out of fear, whose sin is not completely forgiven but only partially, transforming intentional sin to unintentional. However, by returning out of love, then forgive all iniquity — the sin will be completely forgiven, becoming like a commandment that is elevated and raised very high, not as it is said (Micah 7:19), And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Rather, the iniquity will be elevated.
And accept good (Hosea 14:3) — that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will accept it as something good, as if the sin were a merit, a good thing. Then you will not need even a sacrifice. This is what is meant by and we will offer the words of our lips instead of bulls (Hosea 14:3).
However, in Ezekiel (33:14-15) it is written, And when I say to the wicked, “You shall surely die,” and he turns from his sin… he shall surely live. Is not [just] the phrase shall surely live said about them because this speaks of one who returns out of fear, due to the threat of you shall surely die — that is, out of fear?
And He says, because until now you have only repented out of fear, this is what is meant by for you have stumbled in your iniquity (Hosea 14:2). This means that previously, when you repented out of fear, you were not completely cleansed, but only halfway, because you had already stumbled in your iniquities — the intentional sin became an unintentional stumbling. Thus, the impression of the stumbling remains within you, and you were not completely cleansed of the sin, as it has become an unintentional error, and you still require a sacrifice for the unintentional sin.
But when you return to the Lord out of love, that is, above the heavens, then you will be completely cleansed, and you will not need even a sacrifice, but only a verbal confession. This is what is meant by (Hosea 14:3), Take words with you and return to the Lord. Literally to Him. Say to Him, Forgive all iniquity. That He will completely forgive iniquity, not partially as one who returns out of fear, whose sin is not completely forgiven but only partially, transforming intentional sin to unintentional. However, by returning out of love, then forgive all iniquity — the sin will be completely forgiven, becoming like a commandment that is elevated and raised very high, not as it is said (Micah 7:19), And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Rather, the iniquity will be elevated.
And accept good (Hosea 14:3) — that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will accept it as something good, as if the sin were a merit, a good thing. Then you will not need even a sacrifice. This is what is meant by and we will offer the words of our lips instead of bulls (Hosea 14:3).
However, in Ezekiel (33:14-15) it is written, And when I say to the wicked, “You shall surely die,” and he turns from his sin… he shall surely live. Is not [just] the phrase shall surely live said about them because this speaks of one who returns out of fear, due to the threat of you shall surely die — that is, out of fear?