שופטים, פרק כ״א, פסוק ג׳

A deep national and theological cry arises from the Israelites as they face the terrifying possibility of an entire tribe being wiped out following a civil war. The primary approach among commentators is that this pain centers on the fear of a tribe being permanently lost from the nation. This outcry does not merely mourn a physical loss, but rather a profound spiritual crisis. Unlike other nations, the Israelites are under the direct rule of God and are destined to exist forever without being diminished. The twelve tribes together create the perfection required for the Divine Presence to dwell among them. Therefore, the absence of even a single tribe damages the perfection of the Divine Presence itself. In their desperation, the people repeatedly invoke the national name, a repetition that serves as a plea for God's mercy in the merit of the three holy forefathers, since each patriarch is associated with this name [חומת אנך].

However, at this specific moment in the aftermath of the war, the people's cry of pain does not yet stem from actual regret or compassion for the tribe of Benjamin. Instead, the nation is gripped by severe anxiety, desperately trying to understand what terrible sin could have brought about such a massive disaster. In an attempt to rid themselves of guilt and correct the spiritual damage, their immediate reaction is to offer sacrifices and follow through on their oath to punish anyone who failed to join the battle. Only at a later stage does a true sense of regret and sympathy for Benjamin develop within the nation. This eventual shift in heart is what ultimately leads them to seek practical solutions, such as securing wives for the remaining survivors, to ensure the tribe is not lost forever [אלשיך].