Reply To: Does anyone know if there is such a statement….?

MEDRASH EICHO BRINGS SEVERAL CHAZAL WHO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE POSUK IN YIRMIYAHU THAT SAYS; WHY WERE KLAL YISROEL THROWN OUT OF THEIR LAND, BECAUSE THEY DESERTED THE TORAH, THEY STOPPED GIVING TORAH RESPECT AND LEARNING PROPERLY. ANOTHER POSUK SAYS, BECAUSE YOU DESERTED ME (HASHEM) AND MY TORAH YOU DID NOT OBSERVE. SAYS THE MEDRASH: HALEVAI YOU WOULD HAVE LEFT ME BUT MY TORAH STILL OBSERVED. BECAUSE THE HOLY LIGHT IN THE TORAH AND THE STRENGTH OF DOING MITZVOS WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL AND UNDERSTAND WHY THEY SHOULD HAVE HASHEM IN THEIR HEARTS. JUST AS FIRST THEY STOPPED RESPECTING HASHEM, THEN DESERTED THE TORAH; SO TOO BY GOING BACK TO TORAH, THEY WOULD GO BACK TO HASHEM.