תהלים, פרק ק״ב, פסוק כ״א

The desperate cries of the imprisoned and those standing at the very edge of death reach up to the heavens, prompting God to intervene and save those in ultimate distress. These cries are born out of deep pain and heavy groaning [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In response, God acts to untie the knots, break the chains, and completely release the captives from their bonds [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. There are different understandings of who exactly these people on the brink of death are. Some explain that they are individuals who have become severely ill and are nearing the end of their lives due to the sheer weight of their hardships [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, מאירי]. Others suggest that they are people who have actually been condemned to die and are actively being led to the slaughter [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Beyond the immediate physical reality, the primary approach among commentators views this situation through a national and historical lens. The state of captivity represents the entire nation of Israel suffering in exile. The people are depicted as prisoners, pushed close to death by the endless troubles that strike them. Yet, God hears their collective cry and releases them from their captivity [רד״ק, מאירי]. This dynamic directly mirrors the way God heard the groans of the Israelites during their harsh enslavement in Egypt and stepped in to redeem them [אבן עזרא].

Taking a different historical perspective, another approach connects this rescue to the events of the Purim story. In this view, the captive is a specific individual: Mordecai the Jew. He essentially imprisoned himself, taking on fasting, sackcloth, and ashes in the city streets. The entire purpose of his self-imposed suffering and captivity was to secure the release of the condemned, meaning to bring about the ultimate rescue of the entire nation of Israel in that generation, who had all been sentenced to total destruction [אלשיך].