איוב, פרק ל״ה, פסוק י״ג

The painful experience of crying out to God in times of distress and feeling met with silence is a deep human struggle. When justice seems delayed, it is easy to wonder if the cries of the oppressed are simply ignored. However, God is fully aware of human suffering, possessing both the capacity to hear the prayers of the broken and the vision to oversee all earthly affairs [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם].

The primary approach among commentators addresses the dangerous assumption that God turns a blind eye to suffering. While it might sometimes appear that God hides His face because of widespread sin, or that He is patient and does not punish the wicked immediately, assuming He does not listen is a complete mistake. God watches over everything that happens on earth. Any claim that He ignores the cries of the oppressed is entirely false and empty.

On the other hand, a different perspective shifts the focus to the nature of the prayer itself. In this view, God actively chooses not to listen to words of falsehood. This directly addresses Job, explaining why God does not answer his desperate cries. Because Job's complaints are rooted in mistaken assumptions—specifically, accusing God of acting unjustly—his words are considered empty and untrue. Consequently, God chooses neither to hear his words nor to look upon his claims [אבן עזרא, אלשיך].