What are the connotations of "Vehistarti Panai Meihem"?
Rashi #1 and Seforno: It means that Hashem will pretend that He does not see their afflictions. 1
Rashi #2 (in Chagigah, 5b): It means that they will cry out from their afflictions, but Hashem will not answer them and their afflictions will continue.
Targum Yonasan: It means that Hashem will remove His Shechinah from them.
Chagigah, 5a: It implies that anyone who does not experience Hester Panim and "Vehayah Le'echol" (in Galus) is not part of Am Yisrael.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Why does the Pasuk add the word "ha'Lo ki Ein Elokai be'Kirbi"?
Targum Yonasan: To teach us that they will declare with a Shevu'ah 1 [that the afflictions came because Hashem removed His Shechinah from their midst].
With certainty as if they were making a Shevu'ah to that effect - See Na'ar Yonasan.
What is the significance of Yisrael's statement "ha'Lo ki Ein Elokai be'Kirbi... "?
Ramban: It is not a complete Teshuvah, 1 but an acknowledgement at having sinned accompanied by thoughts of remorse and a realization that Hashem is not in their midst.
Seforno: Once they think that Hashem has removed His Shechinah from them, 2 they will not turn to Him in Tefilah and they will not do Teshuvah.
Targum Yonasan: The afflictions befell us because 3 the Shechinah is not in our midst.
Da'as Zekenim: They will realize that they caused the Shechinah to depart, and that therefore the afflictions came upon them.
Ramban: Like "Vehisvadu es Avonam" in Vayikra, 26:40.
Seforno (in Pasuk 18): Which is a mistake on their part, since Hashem never removes His Shechinah from Yisrael, as the Gemara states in Megilah, 29a. Refer also to 31:18:1:2.
Na'ar Yonasan: They will realize this due to the unnatural nature of the afflictions that have befallen them.
Why does the Torah continue "ve'Anochi Hastir Astir Panai ... "? Why is their statement not considered Teshuvah?
Oznayim hey : Because the major part of Teshuvah - Viduy - is missing. 1
Oznayim la'Torah #2: Because they are merely stating that, since they broke the covenant with Hashem, Hashem broke the covenant with them - which has nothing to do with Teshuvah. 2
What are the connotations of the word "Ra'os Rabos ve'Tzaros?"
Chagigah, 5a: It implies that the evils become rivals 1 to one another - a bee-sting, which requires cold water to heal, a scorpion-sting - which requires hot water, and the opposite is dangerous. Consequently, someone who is stung by both a bee and a scorpion has no solution. (Similarly Yisrael in exile, when Nochrim afflict them, they are afraid to scream, in case it causes the Nochrim to hate them. On the other hand, if they don't scream, the Nochrim will get used to afflicting them - Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim and Rosh).
Just as 'Tzaros', sometimes means two (rival) wives. See Torah Temimah, note 22.
What are the connotations of "Vehayah Le'echol"?
Riva (citing Rashi, citing Targum Onkelos) 1 : "Viyehon Lemibaz" - 'he will be totally consumed'. 2
Rashi (in Chagigah, 5b) and Targum Yonasan: It means that their money will be taken spoil. 3
Oznayim la'Torah: As opposed to people who fulfill the will of Hashem, who live in order to serve Him, people who do not fulfill the will of Hashem live in order to eat (like animals). 4
