תהלים, פרק מ״ב, פסוק ד׳

The deep pain of being far from the Temple and the agony of exile can transform sorrow into a tangible, physical reality. The primary approach among commentators is that crying becomes a daily routine, as constant and expected as eating a regular meal. Others suggest that intense grief and worry completely erase a person's appetite. Instead of eating, tears provide a tragic kind of nourishment, replacing food entirely, much like the biblical Hannah who wept and could not eat [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אלשיך]. Taking this further, these tears even act as water to quench an intense thirst [אבן עזרא]. Alternatively, this profound weeping is viewed as the sole merit that makes one worthy of eating at all in this world [אלשיך].

This mourning is continuous, happening both in secret and in public [אבן עזרא]. The weeping extends throughout the entire day and night, driven specifically by the relentless mockery faced during the daylight hours [אלשיך]. In exile, enemies constantly taunt and shame the captives. They argue that if God were truly real, He would step in to save them from their suffering and rescue them from captivity [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. This insult cuts especially deep because it desecrates God's name, as the enemies openly doubt His power to save [אלשיך].

The mockery also carries an additional, painful sting. It serves as a cruel reminder of the past, when one would joyfully make a pilgrimage three times a year to appear before God. Now, trapped in the long exile, that joy is entirely cut off, leaving only a harsh sense of distance and longing [אבן עזרא].