The deepest expressions of pain occur when mental suffering radiates into the body, ultimately stripping away the most basic instincts for survival. A person in this state resembles a withered plant, drained of vitality by severe torment. The primary approach among commentators is that this condition is like wet grass struck by the scorching heat of the sun, which causes it to dry out and break. In this imagery, the sun represents the intense heat of troubles and the disgrace brought on by enemies [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, מאירי]. Alternatively, the crushing nature of this pain is compared to grass that is constantly trampled underfoot by others [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. From a spiritual perspective, there is a concept that just as grass is struck by a higher power commanding it to grow, human suffering is meant to foster personal growth and cleanse a person of sin. However, in this instance, the agony is so overwhelming that instead of flourishing, the mind is drained of its vitality and dries up completely [אלשיך].
The direct result of this severe affliction is a completely withered heart. On an emotional level, this reflects a profound heartbreak brought on by overwhelming grief [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, this process is also understood in physiological terms. The heart serves as the center of life and the primary source of the body's natural heat. Constant troubles and worries evaporate the essential moisture within the heart—the very moisture that bridges the soul and the physical flesh—leaving the sufferer completely drained of life [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, מאירי].
This extreme internal dryness stems from a complete neglect of basic physical needs. Overcome by sorrow, the body's natural mechanism for hunger simply stops functioning. The sufferer develops an aversion to food, feels artificially full, and entirely forgets to eat [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, מאירי]. From a medical standpoint, eating and drinking are necessary to replenish the fluids lost to the body's internal heat and the surrounding air. Without sustenance, this moisture cannot be restored, and the body progressively dries out to the point of fatal danger [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מאירי].
Beyond the physical loss of appetite, the inability to eat is also viewed through the lens of exile. Disconnected from their homeland, individuals are unable to eat the produce of their own soil, a reality considered among the harshest of all sufferings [אלשיך]. On an allegorical level, this daily sustenance symbolizes the study of Torah. The sheer weight of sadness causes a person to forget their capacity to deeply engage with and analyze spiritual texts as they once did in better times [חומת אנך].