שמואל ב, פרק י״ג, פסוק ב׳

Intense, unfulfilled desire can drive a person to the brink of physical and mental collapse. Amnon's overwhelming obsession with Tamar plunges him into a deep crisis of sorrow, worry, and distress. The sheer force of his lust and agony is so severe that he either becomes genuinely ill or appears physically sick from the weight of his longing [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This profound distress is rooted in several complicated factors [אברבנאל]. Foremost is the reality that Tamar is his paternal sister [מצודת דוד], rendering his desires entirely improper. Furthermore, Amnon knows there is no realistic hope of marrying her officially. He understands that her family would never consent to an arrangement that would humiliate her and damage her royal standing as the king's daughter [מלבי״ם].

Beyond these social barriers, Amnon faces a significant practical obstacle. The primary approach among commentators is that unmarried women in Israel traditionally remained modestly inside their homes. Because Tamar is secluded within the palace, Amnon has no direct contact with her and no opportunity to seduce her. At the same time, this very inaccessibility acts as a psychological trigger, as her sheltered status only intensifies his craving for her [רד״ק].

Trapped by these circumstances, any potential path forward is completely concealed from him [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. Amnon is left entirely at a loss, unable to figure out how to make even the slightest contact [ביאור שטיינזלץ], find a pretext to act [מצודת ציון], or devise a way to fulfill his physical lust [רש״י, מצודת דוד].