תהלים, פרק ס״ט, פסוק י״א

A person's profound suffering takes on an even more tragic dimension when their genuine acts of repentance, spiritual mourning, and desperate cries to God are met not with pity, but with humiliation and mockery from those around them. In moments of deep distress, the sufferer turns to intense physical and spiritual affliction. The primary approach among commentators understands this as a dual expression of grief, where the individual either constantly sheds tears and fasts [רד״ק, מאירי], or weeps specifically while enduring the physical deprivation of a fast [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

However, another perspective shifts the focus inward, suggesting that the soul itself is not the one fasting, but rather the very subject of the weeping. The tears are shed over a crushed and broken spirit, mourning it as though it were already dead [אבן עזרא, מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Offering a distinct view, [אלשיך] separates physical pain from spiritual anguish. He explains that this bitter weeping is not a reaction to bodily torment or the harsh realities of exile, but rather a profound sorrow over the spiritual impurity of a soul tainted by sin.

Tragically, these deeply personal acts of devotion provoke a harsh response from the outside world. The general consensus is that the very acts of weeping, praying, and fasting become the direct target of the enemies' scorn [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This ridicule carries a sharp theological sting. Watching the sufferer's prayers seemingly go unanswered, the enemies argue that if God had not rejected the Israelites, He certainly would have listened to their cries [מצודת דוד]. In doing so, they use the believer's suffering as a tool to blaspheme God Himself [רד״ק].

Other commentators note that the mockery can be directed at the tormented soul itself, with enemies taunting that it is forever doomed to be cut off and destroyed [מאירי]. Furthermore, when surrounding nations hear these confessions and tears over spiritual failings, they seize the opportunity to mock the Israelites for abandoning such a great God in favor of meaningless idols. Finally, the disgrace can also be intensely personal and internal. The severe fasting and endless crying take such a heavy toll on the person's physical appearance that their very existence and ruined vitality become a source of shame, both in their own eyes and to anyone who looks at them [אלשיך].