ֲא יִּכ ם תִא יִתיִרְּּב רֵּפ הְּל ם תֹּ לַכְּל םיִ תְּלַעְּג אֹּלְּו םיִ תְּסַאְּמ אֹּל םֶהיֵּבְּיֹּא ץֶרֶאְּּב ם תֹּויְּהִּב תאֹּז םַּג ףַאְּונִי ה' אֱ לֹּוקיהֶם...
Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them and I will not abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am Hashem their G-d...
The Ohr Hachaim asks, how does this possuk belong here? The Torah has been describing the punishments due Klal Yisroel when they stray from the correct path and follow strange gods, how is this promise relevant? The Ohr Hachaim explains that this could be part of the complaint against Klal Yisroel. Even though Hashem never rejected or abhorred them, they still went and worshipped false gods.
However, he suggests other explanations too. The question is, why was it necessary for Klal Yisroel to be exiled from Eretz Yisroel to be punished? Why could they not be punished in their land?
The Torah answers, וְאַּׁף גַּׁם – this was also the reason, to bring them בְאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם – in the lands of their enemies. Because לֹא מְאַּׁסְתִים וְלֹא גְעַּׁלְתִים לְכַּׁלֹּתָם – I do not reject or abhor them. Chazal tell us that Hashem poured out his wrath on sticks and stones to save the bodies of His nation. When Hashem destroyed the Beis Hamikdash, He released His anger and Klal Yisroel was saved. Also, when He sees His nation degraded and subjugated בְאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם, that is sufficient for their aveiros to be forgiven, their punishment is over.
