תהלים, פרק ק״ד, פסוק כ״ב

The natural world operates with a flawless rhythm, maintaining a careful boundary between the active hours of wild predators and those of humanity. As dawn breaks and the sun rises, the wild animals that roamed freely and scattered during the night begin to gather together [אבן עזרא]. They retreat from the open world and return to their hiding places [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that these creatures hide specifically from the people who are heading out to the fields for their morning labor. God established a clear division of time within creation: the night belongs to the wild animals, while during the day they remain hidden. This natural order ensures that people can step outside to do their work safely and without fear [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, מאירי].

Taking a different approach, some explain that the animals retreat simply because it is time for them to rest. Because God has already provided their food without requiring them to struggle for it, they are fully satisfied by sunrise and ready to sleep [אלשיך]. With their needs met, they lie down peacefully to rest inside their dens [מצודת ציון].

This natural daily cycle even serves as the foundation for practical Jewish labor laws. Observing how the world wakes and transitions, the Sages established guidelines for working relationships. They determined that a worker's travel time to the job in the morning comes out of his own personal time, mirroring the natural start of the day's activity. However, the time spent traveling back home in the evening is counted as part of the employer's time [תורה תמימה].