ירמיהו, פרק ו׳, פסוק ט׳

The familiar world of agriculture, specifically the grape harvest, serves as a powerful metaphor for the successive waves of destruction and exile destined to strike the nation. Just as a vineyard worker performs an initial, heavy harvest, the enemy will strike the nation with a massive primary blow [מצודת ציון, מלבי"ם]. However, the devastation does not end there. Like a worker returning to the vine to glean the single, leftover grape clusters that were missed, the enemy will return time and again to plunder and exile the remaining survivors, ensuring no one is left behind [רש"י, מצודת ציון]. Historically, this relentless process played out through the consecutive exiles during the reigns of kings Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah [רש"י].

Amidst this destruction, a rallying cry is heard. The primary approach among commentators is that the enemies are encouraging one another to reach out their hands once more, determined to capture even those who have managed to hide [רש"י, מצודת דוד, רד"ק]. In contrast, another perspective views this cry as an emotional plea directed toward God. In this interpretation, the prophet begs God to turn His striking hand back and unleash His justice upon the enemies instead [רד"ק בשם תרגום יונתן].

The final stages of this harvest carry profound tragedy. Some commentators understand the conclusion of the harvest as a meticulous physical search, where the enemy carefully feels through the branches to uncover any deeply hidden survivors [רש"י, מצודת ציון]. Others view this stage as the gathering of the captured people into baskets [רד"ק, מלבי"ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Building on the imagery of the baskets, a far more devastating picture emerges. The command to reach out again may not refer to searching the vine, but rather to attacking the grapes that have already been picked and stored away. This means that even after the remnant of the nation has been gathered and sent into exile, the enemy will strike them a second time in their vulnerable state. This tragic reality came to pass when the survivors who fled to Egypt after the initial destruction were ultimately pursued and overtaken by the enemy once again [מלבי"ם].