[אם בחקתי תלכו], זש"ה ימאסם אלוה כי לא שמעו לו (הושע ט יז), אמר הקב"ה אני אמרתי שתהיו נתונים בשלוה, שנאמר ונטעתים אל עדמתם וגו' (עמוס ט טו), איתי אם בחקותי תלכו, ואכלתם לחמכם לשובע וגו' (ויקרא כו ה), אני כך יעצתי, אבל אתם לא עשיתם כן, אלא ויחפאו בני ישראל דברים אשר לא כן וגו' (מ"ב יז ט), אף אני דברים שלא הכתבתי בתורה נתתי עליכם, שנאמר גם כל חלי וכל מכה אשר לא (כתובה) [כתוב] בספר התורה (הזה) [הזאת] (דברים כח סא), ומה [אם דברים] שלא היה בי נתתם עלי, שכן ישעיה אמר עזבו את ה' (ישעיה א ד), אל תאמר עזבו אלא עיזבו אותי כביכול, ונקראתי אל רחום וחנון ארך אפים (שמות לד ו), ובעונותיכם נעשיתי אכזרי והפכתי את מדתי, שנאמר היה ה' כאויב (איכה ב ה), ואומר ויהפך להם לאויב (ישעיה סג י), לכך אמר הושע מי גרם לכם לכך על שלא שמעתם לו, שנאמר ימאסם (אלהים) [אלהי] כי לא שמעו לו ויהיו נודדים בגוים (הושע ט יז), [וכתיב] ובגוים ההם לא תרגיע (דברים כח סה). [(Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES….] This text is related (to Hos. 9:17): GOD3Eloah. Cf. the Masoretic Text, which reads elohay (MY GOD). WILL REJECT THEM BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HEED HIM. The Holy One said: I have said that you would be set in security, as stated (in Amos 9:15): AND WHEN I PLANT THEM IN THEIR LAND, [THEY SHALL NEVER AGAIN BE UPROOTED]….4Tanh., Lev. 10:2. When? (Lev.: 26:3, 5:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES…. YOU SHALL EAT YOUR FILL OF BREAD < AND DWELL SECURELY IN YOUR LAND >. I have so counseled, but you did not so act. Instead (according to II Kings 17:9): THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ATTRIBUTED THINGS WHICH WERE NOT RIGHT < TO THE LORD THEIR GOD: THEY BUILT THEMSELVES HIGH PLACES IN ALL THEIR CITIES >…. I have also set upon you things which I did not write in the Torah. It is so stated (in Deut. 28:61): MOREOVER < THE LORD WILL BRING UPON YOU > EVERY DISEASE AND EVERY PLAGUE WHICH IS NOT WRITTEN IN {THIS BOOK OF THE TORAH} [THE BOOK OF THIS TORAH]. Now surely [if] you have set [things] on me which were not < right > by me, just as Isaiah said (in Is. 1:4): THEY HAVE FORSAKEN THE LORD; do not say: THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ('ZBW) < ME >, but: They, as it were, have made me worth forsaking ('YZBW) (i.e., caused me to be cruel). Now I was called (in Exod. 34:6): A MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS GOD, SLOW TO ANGER, but through their sins I have become cruel and changed my nature, as stated (in Lam. 2:5): THE LORD HAS BECOME LIKE AN ENEMY. It also says (in Is. 63:10): SO HE WAS TURNED INTO THEIR ENEMY. Therefore, Hosea says: Who has brought this about for you? < It was > because you did not heed him, as stated (in Hos. 9:17): {GOD} [MY GOD] WILL REJECT THEM BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HEED HIM. [It is also written] (in Deut. 28:65): AND AMONG THOSE NATIONS YOU SHALL FIND NO PEACE.