כִּֽי־גֹאֲלָ֥ם חָזָ֑ק הֽוּא־יָרִ֖יב אֶת־רִיבָ֣ם אִתָּֽךְ׃
car puissant est leur défenseur, il prendra en mains leur cause contre toi.
Rabbeinu Bahya
The reason the Torah repeats so many words in this legislation (ענה תענה, צעק יצעק, שמע אשמע), is that most such people when they suffer indignities endeavor to obtain redress by appealing to a variety of socially responsible organisations. Being widows or orphans however, they do not rely on such organisations but appeal to G’d at the same time. The Torah reflects this situation by describing them as appealing for help on two different levels. The Torah assures them that G’d too will respond on two different levels, i.e. שמע אשמע את צעקתו, “I will hear (respond) his outcry repeatedly.” If G’d is faced with appeals from a variety of people which He will respond to, the appeals by widows and orphans will enjoy priority. This is similar to what Solomon said in Proverbs 23,11: “for they have a powerful redeemer; He will fight their battles against you.” Seeing that unfortunately it is the way of people to constantly oppress the widows and orphans the Torah informed us that G’d will help these people more than anyone else.
We would have expected that the words ענה תענה would be followed by the word אותם, “them,” not אותו, “him,” as the Torah writes here. The reason is that the Torah warns not to oppress the same widow or the same orphan again and again. Were this to happen, if even only one victim would appeal to Me צעק יצעק אלי שמע אשמע צעקתו, “I will surely listen to the outcry of each one of these people who have been abused.” We usually find the response by G’d to appeals to Him described in a manner reflecting the urgency or intensity with which they were presented to G’d. Example: Psalms 39,13 שמעה תפלתי ה’ ושועתי האזינה, “hear my prayer O Lord, give ear to my cry.” A prayer which is uttered by lips is referred to as requiring שמיעה in response, whereas a prayer which reflects deeper anguish by the petitioner and which is described by the psalmist as שועה, requires a correspondingly more profound attention and response, hence the psalmist says of it האזינה, “give ear.” Such a type of listening goes beyond mere שמיעה, which registered merely the sound of the prayer. Finally, in that same verse, David adds: אל דמעתי אל תחרש, “do not remain silent in response to my tears!” Tears are an expression of a human being having humbled himself before the one to whom they are addressed, in this instance, of course, to G’d. The meaning of אל תחרש is that that the petitioner wants to secure G’d’s goodwill. From the above you can appreciate how meticulous G’d is in dealing with different nuances of human behaviour, responding to each person in accordance with his individual level of piety, distress, etc.
We would have expected that the words ענה תענה would be followed by the word אותם, “them,” not אותו, “him,” as the Torah writes here. The reason is that the Torah warns not to oppress the same widow or the same orphan again and again. Were this to happen, if even only one victim would appeal to Me צעק יצעק אלי שמע אשמע צעקתו, “I will surely listen to the outcry of each one of these people who have been abused.” We usually find the response by G’d to appeals to Him described in a manner reflecting the urgency or intensity with which they were presented to G’d. Example: Psalms 39,13 שמעה תפלתי ה’ ושועתי האזינה, “hear my prayer O Lord, give ear to my cry.” A prayer which is uttered by lips is referred to as requiring שמיעה in response, whereas a prayer which reflects deeper anguish by the petitioner and which is described by the psalmist as שועה, requires a correspondingly more profound attention and response, hence the psalmist says of it האזינה, “give ear.” Such a type of listening goes beyond mere שמיעה, which registered merely the sound of the prayer. Finally, in that same verse, David adds: אל דמעתי אל תחרש, “do not remain silent in response to my tears!” Tears are an expression of a human being having humbled himself before the one to whom they are addressed, in this instance, of course, to G’d. The meaning of אל תחרש is that that the petitioner wants to secure G’d’s goodwill. From the above you can appreciate how meticulous G’d is in dealing with different nuances of human behaviour, responding to each person in accordance with his individual level of piety, distress, etc.