איוב, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ׳

From the depths of despair and sadness arises a profound existential question regarding the purpose of existence for those whose lives are filled with suffering. The inquiry centers on why life is granted at all. Though the giver of life is left unnamed, it is clearly understood to be God, the Creator [רש״י, מצודת ציון, רמב״ן], or perhaps the day of birth itself that brought the person into the world [רמב״ן]. The core dilemma asks why God forces the gifts of light and life onto people who do not want them and view them only as a burden, especially when death and the grave could finally offer them rest [מצודת דוד, תקות אנוש, אלשיך].

Commentators point out a subtle distinction between two types of suffering individuals. The first is a person who has grown up in hardship and collapses under the weight of exhausting labor [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. For this individual, the light of sunrise, which is normally meant to benefit humanity, is actually a curse. The morning light only signals the end of a sweet night of sleep and the beginning of yet another difficult and painful workday [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. While this laborer might still find some comfort and rest during the night, the second type of sufferer experiences a deeper agony. These are the bitter souls who are completely exhausted by life, finding no relief during the day or the night [מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. They gain absolutely nothing from their existence other than a constant sense of distress, and they would prefer death simply to forget their pain. By speaking about these groups in the plural, Job includes himself alongside all other people trapped in similar circumstances [רמב״ן].

The primary approach among commentators is to view these two descriptions of suffering as a repetition of the same basic idea, expressed in different words for added emphasis [מצודת דוד]. However, a more spiritual perspective suggests that this bitterness of soul does not stem from physical hardship, but rather from the mental agony of sin and wrongdoing [אלשיך]. According to this view, these individuals are deeply bitter because of their past failures. They long for death as a way to atone for their sins and finally achieve peace. Yet, because a person is forbidden to take their own life, they are forced to continue living against their will. This leads back to the central question of why they are granted life in the first place, when their continued existence serves only as an ongoing punishment [חומת אנך].