נחמיה, פרק א׳, פסוק ד׳

Upon receiving devastating news about the state of his people, Nehemiah is entirely overcome by grief. Rather than distancing himself, he chooses to deeply identify with their suffering and fully share in the sorrow of the Israelites [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

His immediate reaction is one of profound emotional collapse. He sits down, an action understood primarily as a state of absolute shock, desolation, and horror at the tragedy [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. Alternatively, this is viewed in a more literal, physical sense, describing the traditional practice of sitting directly on the ground as a mourner [אבן עזרא].

This intense period of weeping and mourning is not a brief, passing moment. It lasts for several days [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Throughout this time, Nehemiah fasts, actively afflicting both his body and his soul [מצודת ציון]. This physical deprivation serves as an essential, inseparable part of his continuous prayer before God.