ירמיהו, פרק ט׳, פסוק ט״ז

The prophet issues an urgent wake-up call to the people, urging them to face the harsh reality of an approaching disaster and to prepare for a time of unprecedented, heavy mourning. To truly understand the approaching evil [מצודת דוד, רד״ק], they must summon women who hold unique roles during times of crisis and loss. The first group to be called are professional mourners. These women are well-known experts in the art of grief [רד״ק], whose specific job is to evoke tears and wailing through heartfelt eulogies and songs of sorrow over the great destruction [מצודת דוד, צאינה וראינה, שטיינזלץ]. Because these professional mourners are common and can be found in every city, a simple call is enough to bring them quickly to the scene [מלבי״ם].

Alongside the mourners, a second group must be brought in: the wise women. The primary approach among commentators is that these are highly skilled individuals capable of quickly composing powerful words of rebuke and moral lessons, designed to pierce the hearts of the listeners and deepen their sense of sorrow. Unlike the local mourners, however, these wise women are rare. Bringing them requires sending messengers far and wide [מלבי״ם].

This distinction in how the two groups are gathered reveals a deeper truth about the nature of the coming disaster. In past tragedies, survivors remained in their land and simply wept for those who had perished. This time, however, the devastation will severely strike those who remain alive. While the professional mourners arrive merely to cry over the dead, the wise women serve a completely different purpose. They must use their wisdom to advise the living survivors. Their crucial task is to heal a broken society and guide the people on how to correct their ways, helping them survive the overwhelming evil without losing their own lives [מלבי״ם].