R. Isaac said: ‘We have to distinguish between the terms “sighing”, “imploring”, and “crying”, all three of which are applied here to the children of Israel.’ Said R. Judah: ‘In fact they only implored and cried, as the sighing mentioned in the verse refers to the supernal beings.’
What is the difference between imploring and crying?’ Said R. Isaac: ‘The former means prayer in actual words (Ps. 39, 13; LXXXVIII, 14; XXX, 3), the latter crying without words. R. Judah said: ‘Hence crying is more poignant than all other expression of grief, because it is entirely a matter of the heart, as it says, “Their heart cried unto the lord” (Lam. 2, 18). This crying comes nearer to the Holy One, blessed be He, than imploring and praying in words, as it says, “If he (the orphan) cries unto me, I will surely hear his cry” (Ex. 22, 20).’
R. Berechiah said: ‘When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Samuel, “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king”, what did Samuel do? “He cried unto the Lord all night” (I Sam. 15, 11). He put aside everything and betook himself to crying, as this finds readiest access to the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus we read here: “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me” (Ex. 3, 9).
When one prays and weeps and cries so intensely that he is unable to find words to express his sorrow, his prayer is prayer in the truest sense, for it is in the heart, and shall never return unto him void.’ Said R. Judah: ‘Great is such crying in that it can effect a change in the divine sentence of judgement.’
R. Isaac said: ‘Great is such crying in that it dominates the supernal attribute of Justice.’ Said R. Jose: ‘Great is such crying in that it dominates both this world and the world to come, and makes man the heir of both, as it says, “They cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses” (Ps- CVII, 16).
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, תְּלַת עִנְיָינֵי הָכָא: אֲנָחָה, שַׁוְעָה, צְעָקָה. וְכָל חַד מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מְאַחֲרָא. אֲנָחָה: כְּתִּיב, וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. צְעָקָה: דִּכְתִּיב, וַיִּצְעָקוּ. שַׁוְעָה: דִּכְתִּיב, וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם. וְכָל חַד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי מִתְפָּרְשָׁא, וְכֻלְּהוּ עָבְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, צְעָקָה וְשַׁוְעָה עָבְדוּ, אֲנָחָה לָא עָבְדוּ, מַשְׁמַע מִדִּכְתִּיב וַיֵּאָנְחוּ וּלְמַעְלָה הָיְתָה הָאֲנָחָה בִּשְׁבִילָם.
R. Isaac said: ‘We have to distinguish between the terms “sighing”, “imploring”, and “crying”, all three of which are applied here to the children of Israel.’ Said R. Judah: ‘In fact they only implored and cried, as the sighing mentioned in the verse refers to the supernal beings.’
צְעָקָה וְשַׁוְעָה בְּמַאי אִתְפָּרְשָׁן, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, אֵין לָךְ שַׁוְעָה, אֶלָּא בַּתְּפִלָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, (תהילים ל״ט:י״ג) שְׁמָעָה תְפִלָּתִי יְיָ' וְשַׁוְעָתִי הַאֲזִינָה. (תהלים פ"ח) אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ' שִׁוַּעְתִּי. (תהילים ל׳:ג׳) שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי. צְעָקָה שֶׁצּוֹעֵק וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כְּלוּם. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הִלְכָּךְ גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה מִכּוּלָּן, שֶׁצְּעָקָה הִיא בַּלֵּב. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (איכה ב׳:י״ח) צָעַק לִבָּם אֶל יְיָ'. צְעָקָה וּזְעָקָה דָּבָר אֶחָד הוּא, וְזֶה קְרוֹבָה לְהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, יוֹתֵר מִתְּפִלָּה וַאֲנָחָה, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות כ״ב:כ״ב) כִּי אִם צָעוֹק יִצְעַק אֵלַי שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ.
What is the difference between imploring and crying?’ Said R. Isaac: ‘The former means prayer in actual words (Ps. 39, 13; LXXXVIII, 14; XXX, 3), the latter crying without words. R. Judah said: ‘Hence crying is more poignant than all other expression of grief, because it is entirely a matter of the heart, as it says, “Their heart cried unto the lord” (Lam. 2, 18). This crying comes nearer to the Holy One, blessed be He, than imploring and praying in words, as it says, “If he (the orphan) cries unto me, I will surely hear his cry” (Ex. 22, 20).’
אָמַר רִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁמוּאֵל, (שמואל א ט״ו:י״א) נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ. מַה כְּתִּיב, וַיִּחַר לִשְׁמוּאֵל, וַיִצְעַק אֶל יְיָ' כָּל הַלַּיְלָה. הִנִּיחַ הַכֹּל, וְלָקַח צְעָקָה, מִשּׁוּם דְּהִיא קְרוֹבָה לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה אֵלָי.
R. Berechiah said: ‘When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Samuel, “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king”, what did Samuel do? “He cried unto the Lord all night” (I Sam. 15, 11). He put aside everything and betook himself to crying, as this finds readiest access to the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus we read here: “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me” (Ex. 3, 9).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, הַאי מַאן דְּצַלֵּי וּבָכֵי וְצָעִיק, עַד לָא יָכִיל לְמִרְחָשׁ בְּשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ, הַאי צְלוֹתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא דְּהִיא בְּלִבָּא, וּלְעוֹלָם לָא הַדְרָא רֵיקָנַיָּא. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה, שְׁקוֹרֵעַ גְּזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִכָּל יָמָיו.
When one prays and weeps and cries so intensely that he is unable to find words to express his sorrow, his prayer is prayer in the truest sense, for it is in the heart, and shall never return unto him void.’ Said R. Judah: ‘Great is such crying in that it can effect a change in the divine sentence of judgement.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה, שֶׁמּוֹשֶׁלֶת עַל מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה, שֶׁמּוֹשֶׁלֶת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. בִּשְׁבִיל צְעָקָה נוֹחֵל הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ק״ז:ו׳) וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה' בַּצַּר לָהֶם מִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יַצִּילֵם.
R. Isaac said: ‘Great is such crying in that it dominates the supernal attribute of Justice.’ Said R. Jose: ‘Great is such crying in that it dominates both this world and the world to come, and makes man the heir of both, as it says, “They cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses” (Ps- CVII, 16).