A Cry of Despair

A Cry of Despair:

The pasuk seems to be saying that the fact that the nation cried was a complaint against them. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh asks why this is considered a sin. Isn’t it a natural human tendency to cry in a time of pain?

He answers that there are two distinct forms of crying. One cry is a cry of hope and an expression of desire for Divine mercy. Another cry is a cry of despair. If the nation had cried the first type of cry, it would have been a sign of emunah and it would not have been held against them. However, since they cried the second type of cry out of despair from having no meat to eat, it was held as a complaint against them.