איוב, פרק ל׳, פסוק ט״ו

A sudden collapse of reality and a sharp shift from stability to hopelessness define the depths of Job's profound suffering. Without warning, a wave of anxieties, nightmares, and intense confusion turns and strikes him all at once [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, תקות אנוש]. According to one perspective, these overwhelming terrors are actual demons attacking from all sides [רש"י].

This intense dread relentlessly chases its victim. Commentators offer different views on what exactly is being pursued. One approach suggests it is the soul itself. The soul is considered generous because it continuously grants life and vitality to the physical body. Now, severe anxiety drives this life force away, much like a fierce wind scatters dry straw [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רלב"ג]. Another perspective explains that the terror targets Job's noble character and high social standing. His status as a generous, respected leader among nations is suddenly blown away and pushed aside by an evil wind [רש"י, רמב"ן, ביאור שטיינזלץ, תקות אנוש].

The feeling of total loss reaches its peak when salvation itself disappears. Help and rescue, which once arrived reliably, now vanish as quickly as a passing cloud in the sky [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, תקות אנוש]. Unlike a normal cloud that brings much-needed rain, this cloud of salvation drifts by without offering a single drop of relief. Instead, the wind brings only clouds of distress, pushing away all hope and leaving behind a despair so deep it brings a desire for death [מלבי"ם]. Furthermore, this lost salvation can also be understood as the soul, whose very purpose is to protect and save the physical body [רלב"ג].

In sharp contrast to viewing this as present agony, an entirely different approach understands these events as a deep longing for a glorious past. According to this view, in earlier days, whenever terrors or troubles would threaten, the merit of Job's righteousness and profound generosity would act as a powerful wind to chase the hardships away. In those times, salvation would arrive swiftly and naturally, moving as quickly as a fleeting cloud [אבן עזרא, אלשיך].