אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם איכה
“How am I to carry your trouble, your burden, and your strife by myself?” (Devorim 1:12)
The Medrash (Eicha Rabbah) connects the lashon [expression] of Eicha in this week’s parsha, to the lashon of Eicha in Yirmiya and in Yeshaya. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Dorash Moshe, Vol. 1, pg. 141) explains that Eicha is an expression of taima, of wonderment. How could it be? How could it be that the heilige Klal Yisroel, could fall so low, that they needed to go to golus, to need to be sent out of Eretz Yisroel. Eicha, how could it be that Klal Yisroel B'tzaisi Mimitzrayim had such elevation and then we fell to the level of B'tzeisi Miyerushalayim?
R' Moshe explains that there are two Eichas. Zeh k'negged zeh asa elokim. Just like there is an Eicha of tremendous yeridah [falling], how could it be? There is an Eicha of tremendous aliyah [elevation]. The איכה אשא לבדי of Moshe Rabbeinu. How could it be that a human being could elevate himself to such a madreiga that he is able to carry Klal Yisroel the way he did for 40 years, through all their challenges?
Just like Eicha is an expression of wonderment at how a person can have such a yeridah, Eicha should be a reminder that one can have such an aliyah as well. Every time we see the possibility of a nefilah, a possibility of someone falling, we need to remind ourselves that this is a sign that there is a possibility of an aliyah, the possibility of picking oneself up. (R’ Yisroel Reisman)
