איכה, פרק ה׳, פסוק ו׳

In times of existential crisis and severe famine, a starving nation often desperately seeks salvation through foreign political alliances, even if it means losing its moral and spiritual direction. Driven by the basic need for food, the people turned to the great empires of their time, a decision that carried heavy political, economic, and spiritual consequences.

The primary approach among commentators is that the people were like a falling person desperately reaching out a hand to neighbors for help and economic aid. Others, however, view this outstretched hand as a symbol of an oath or a handshake used to seal a political treaty [אבן עזרא]. This might even point directly to the specific alliance King Zedekiah forged with Egypt [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Historically, this reflects a complex diplomatic strategy employed by the ten tribes. The Land of Israel, originally blessed with an abundance of oil, would export it to Egypt in exchange for grain. This grain was then forwarded to Assyria to secure a defense pact against enemies. Thus, turning to Egypt was ultimately a maneuver to satisfy Assyria with food. Tragically, these alliances yielded no benefit for the Israelites [תורה תמימה]. Offering a different perspective, some view this situation as a tragic contrast between a glorious past and a devastating present. Once, the land was so prosperous that the Israelites were the ones supplying food to Egypt and Assyria. Now, their fortunes have completely overturned, leaving the people starving [לחם דמעה].

Underlying these political maneuvers was a profound spiritual failure. Destruction and suffering befell the people because they placed their trust in Egypt rather than trusting in God [פלגי מים]. Furthermore, turning to Egypt for aid was a direct violation of the Torah's Commandment never to return by that route, defying the explicit warnings of the prophets. While it might be perfectly natural and sinless for a nation like Assyria to seek food in Egypt, for the Israelites, it constituted a severe transgression [לחם דמעה].

Another spiritual perspective suggests that feeding these empires was actually a calculated attempt to invoke divine judgment against them. This was based on the principle that feeding a hungry enemy heaps burning coals upon his head. The people hoped that providing food to wicked nations, who would consume it without blessing God, would trigger their downfall. Ultimately, this hope proved false. The enemies only grew stronger and overpowered Israel, leaving no trace of the anticipated divine vengeance [אלון בכות].