נחמיה, פרק ט׳, פסוק ל״ז

Living under foreign rule turns the natural blessing of a homeland into a source of deep pain. Instead of sustaining the people who live there, the rich abundance of the land is entirely drained by those who conquered it. The Land of Israel actively produces a great wealth of crops and resources [אבן עזרא]. Yet, rather than enjoying the fruits of their own soil, the Israelites watch as this yield supplies vast amounts of food and delicacies for foreign rulers [רש״י]. These rulers, specifically the kings of Persia, extract heavy taxes and claim all the finest and most pleasant things the land has to offer for themselves [מצודת דוד].

This harsh reality of foreign domination is a direct punishment from God, brought upon the people as a consequence of their sins [רש״י]. The oppression extends far beyond the loss of agricultural wealth, consuming their very existence. The foreign kings exercise total control over the actual physical bodies of the Israelites [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They hold absolute power over both the people and their livestock, doing with them whatever they please [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].