איוב, פרק י״ט, פסוק ז׳

A sufferer's plea reaches its breaking point when a desperate call for help against cruel injustice is met with absolute silence. This experience creates a profound sense of double abandonment, as the victim feels completely ignored both by the people around him and by the ultimate system of heavenly justice.

The primary approach among commentators views this initial outcry as a reaction to robbery, oppression, and severe wrongs. The situation is compared to a traveler who is suddenly attacked by bandits on the open road; he screams out to the passersby for rescue, yet no one stops to help [מלבי״ם]. Finding no aid from his fellow man, the sufferer escalates his plea, directing his cries toward a judge who holds the power to intervene and set things right [מלבי״ם]. However, this too ends in bitter disappointment, as he receives no proper justice or rightful compensation [מצודת דוד]. Instead of finding a defender, he feels that God has placed an impenetrable wall in his path, completely ignoring his pain and handing him over to Satan for no reason [תקות אנוש].

There is also a deeper psychological and theological shift embedded in this struggle. At first, the sufferer loudly protests the specific wrongs done to him. When his prayers go unanswered, a sudden fear sets in. He worries that God might be angry with Him for daring to associate Him with injustice. Changing his approach, he simply begs for general help without mentioning the specific crimes, yet even this softer plea fails to bring about a fair trial [אלשיך]. Furthermore, this situation serves as a powerful argument against his companions. He reasons that if he can cry out about actual physical harm and robbery without receiving any response from heaven, it is obvious that God will not suddenly intervene to judge the painful verbal abuse and harsh words inflicted upon him by his friends [אלשיך].