פירוש על איכה 1:6

Like harts who could find no pasture. Like harts who did not find pasture and have no strength to flee,²⁶Alternatively, her nobles acted like harts who abandon their young when there is no pasture. Similarly, Bnei Yisroel’s leaders did not chastise their brethren, but rather abandoned them. (Palgei Mayim) for their strength has been weakened by hunger.

Before the pursuer. Every רֹדֵף in Scripture is defective,²⁷I.e., it is spelled without a ‘vav’. but this one רוֹדֵף is full,²⁸I.e., it is spelled with a vav. for they were totally pursued. Therefore the liturgic author composed, “I have been totally pursued, but the year of my redemption has not come.”²⁹Selichos for the second day of Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. [Also,] “and the year of my redemption has come,”³⁰Yeshayahu 63:4. is spelled defectively גְּאֻלַי.³¹Without a vav. In our editions it is spelled full [גאולי]. However, the prophecy in Yeshayahuu 59:20 states, “A redeemer [גואל—spelled full] will come to Tzion,” to indicate a “total redemption.” (Eichah Rabbah 1:33)