Lamentacje Jeremiasza 1:2 Komentarz: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Alon Bakhut & Palgei Mayim

“Weeps” [1:2]. She must cry at night because the Temple was burned at night. Another reason is because Israel wept at night during the incident of the spies. This was the night of the ninth of Ab. Therefore, Israel must weep on that night every year on the ninth of Ab for the destruction of the Temple. Another explanation, when one cries at night the voice is heard for a great distance and those who hear it cry along with him. Another explanation is because he compared the city of Jerusalem to a widow and writes about her that she should cry at night. A widow who has no husband can forget her troubles during the day when she talks with her friends, when the women talk about what is news. However, at night she cries when she should be sleeping, since she must sleep alone and her friends are not with her, to speak about the news with her.²B. Sanhedrin, 104a-b.

“Her tears” [1:2]. As the result of much crying, her cheeks are wet and there is nobody to comfort her, since all of her associates have betrayed her.

She weeps bitterly. Weeping twice over the two destructions [of the Beis Hamikdosh].¹⁴Rashi is explaining the reason for the double verb בכו תבכה. Alternatively, Yerusholayim weeps, and God, as it were, also weeps. (Yalkut Me’am Lo’ez)

In the night. For the Beis Hamikdosh was burned at night, as the master said, “at the time of evening they set it on fire.”¹⁵Maseches Ta’anis 29a. Another explanation of “in the night,” [is that] the night of the weeping of the spies on the ninth of Av caused it to happen to them.¹⁶Ibid. Another explanation of “in the night,” is that whoever weeps at night, the one who hears his voice weeps along with him.¹⁷Maseches Sanhedrin 104b.

Her tear on her cheek. Because she cries constantly.¹⁸Alternatively, her pain and suffering were so intense that she did not bother to wipe away her tears. (Yalkut Me’am Lo’ez)