הֲבֵן֩ יַקִּ֨יר לִ֜י אֶפְרַ֗יִם אִ֚ם יֶ֣לֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִ֔ים כִּֽי־מִדֵּ֤י דַבְּרִי֙ בּ֔וֹ זָכֹ֥ר אֶזְכְּרֶ֖נּוּ ע֑וֹד עַל־כֵּ֗ן הָמ֤וּ מֵעַי֙ ל֔וֹ רַחֵ֥ם אֲֽרַחֲמֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)
以法蓮豈不是我寶貴的兒子、我所喜愛的孩子嗎？因為我每次提到他，總是深深地記念他；所以我的心腸為他激動，我必定憐憫他。這是永恆者說的。
The Gate of Unity
The sign [or mnemonic] has no [actual] relation to the essence of the matter, but is merely a memory aide, as stated,9Jeremiah 31:20 “Make signs for yourself.”
Sefat Emet
This is *the fire of love* of which it says (Song_of_Songs.8.7) "Many waters cannot quench the love." As we find (Sotah 21a), "A sin extinguishes a mitzvah, but does not extinguish Torah." (The Sages (Vayikra_Rabbah.2.3) similarly expounded the verse (Jeremiah.31.20) "A darling child to Me is Ephraim... whenever I just speak with him" -- "sufficient is My Speaking that I placed within him.") And it says (Jeremiah.23.29) "My words are like fire, declares the Lord."