ירמיהו, פרק ל״ו, פסוק ה׳

Jeremiah seeks to deliver a dramatic prophetic message to the people but finds himself unable to enter the Temple. Forced to find another way, he delegates this critical mission to his loyal scribe, Baruch son of Neriah, instructing him to read the scroll in his place. The exact nature of Jeremiah's restriction is understood in two distinct ways. The primary approach among commentators is that he faces actual physical imprisonment. In this view, King Jehoiakim has locked the prophet in prison, making it physically impossible for him to leave [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Conversely, another perspective suggests a technical or religious restriction, such as a state of ritual impurity, which strictly forbids him from entering the House of God [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Because of this limitation, Baruch must act as the prophet's messenger. The scroll he is tasked to read contains divine prophecies from God, delivered through the Holy Spirit, which function essentially as lamentations. To maximize the impact of these words, Jeremiah strategically instructs Baruch to read them on a public fast day. On such a day, a massive crowd from Jerusalem and the surrounding cities of Judah naturally gathers at the House of God. By timing the reading for this specific gathering, Jeremiah ensures that God's message will be heard by the largest possible audience [אברבנאל].