ירמיהו, פרק כ״ה, פסוק י׳

The absolute destruction of human society is marked by the disappearance of every sign of life, ranging from grand celebrations to the most basic acts of survival [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The collapse does not happen all at once; rather, reality gradually deteriorates into complete desolation [מלבי״ם].

The fading of society begins with the silencing of outward joy and inner gladness, emotions that typically define times of prosperity and success. Outward joy represents visible, external expressions of happiness, while gladness reflects the deep, internal feelings of the heart [מלבי״ם]. As the desolation deepens, the cheerful voices of grooms and brides also fade away. Usually, even during difficult periods, people continue to marry and establish families as long as a land remains inhabited. However, in this state of ruin, even this fundamental human hope is lost [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

The final and most severe stage of destruction is characterized by the loss of grinding millstones and the glow of lamplight. The primary approach among commentators is that these represent the most basic daily acts of survival. The sound of millstones is typically heard in any inhabited area where grain is ground for food, and lamps provide essential light during the night. Their absence points to a severe famine with no grain left to grind, and a total lack of oil that leaves the people in darkness, rendering the land completely empty of its inhabitants [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Conversely, others view these missing elements as a direct continuation of the ceased celebrations. In this light, the millstones were used to grind spices for festive meals, and the lamplight represents the many candles lit in banquet halls [רד״ק]. More specifically, the sound of grinding sometimes served as a hidden signal for a circumcision feast, where medicinal herbs were prepared for the infant, while the glowing lamps signaled a gathering for a banquet [רש״י, חומת אנך].

Beyond the historical reality of the destruction, this punishment systematically strips away human sensory experiences. The loss of joyful sounds impairs the sense of hearing, the absence of the groom and bride affects the sense of touch, the silenced millstones deprive the sense of taste, and the extinguished lamps leave the sense of sight in darkness [חומת אנך].