ישעיהו, פרק נ״ח, פסוק ג׳

The people cry out bitterly to God, complaining that their religious devotion goes unanswered and fails to bring salvation from foreign rule. They wonder why they have fasted and afflicted themselves, yet their prayers remain unheard. In response, the prophet exposes the hypocrisy of their behavior and explains exactly why their fasting is empty.

The people's complaint mentions both fasting and affliction. Some explain that the act of fasting in this context does not necessarily mean avoiding food. Instead, it represents the public gathering of the community for prayer, soul-searching, and hearing words of rebuke. The affliction describes the physical self-denial of abstaining from eating and drinking, which is intended to atone for past sins [מלבי״ם, שד״ל].

God's answer reveals a sharp divide between the outward actions of the people and their internal reality. Instead of dedicating the day to spiritual repair and repentance, the people continue to pursue their regular business and personal interests [ביאור שטיינזלץ, שד״ל]. Others explain that the fasters actively seek out pleasures, distractions, and joyful activities to relieve the discomfort of the fast. This behavior shows that their hearts are not truly focused on repentance [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. A unique perspective even suggests that the people use the fast purely for physical benefits, treating it as a medical tool to ease digestion and cure illness, rather than an act of devotion to God [צאינה וראינה].

The final critique of the people's behavior highlights their moral failures. The primary approach among commentators is that this failing revolves around money and property, which are typically acquired through hard work and struggle. On the day of the fast, when the entire community gathers together, creditors seize the opportunity to track down their debtors. They pressure them, make their lives difficult, and even resort to violence to collect what is owed. Instead of being a time of mercy, the fast transforms into a day of conflict and the social oppression of those already accustomed to suffering.

Alternatively, some explain the failing as a reaction to the sadness and pain caused by the fast itself. According to this view, the fasters treat the day as a heavy burden forced upon them rather than a willing choice. They attempt to push away their discomfort through distractions, waiting impatiently for the day to end so they can return to their physical desires [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].