The ancient rabbis grappled with this feeling, particularly when thinking about the exiles of the Jewish people. They found echoes of this isolation, this sense of being utterly abandoned, in the most unexpected places – even in single words.

Take the word agur, for example. It appears in Proverbs 30:1: "The words of Agur ben Yakeh" – often understood to be King Solomon. But what does agur actually mean? The Sifrei Devarim, an ancient collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy, suggests it means "gathered together," like someone gathering wisdom. The Sifrei also draws a connection to Psalm 55:16, which speaks of evils being "stored up" – b'meguram in Hebrew. The root is the same. So, there's a sense of things being accumulated, gathered, almost hoarded, both good (wisdom) and bad (evils).

But how does this connect to the feeling of abandonment?

The Sifrei Devarim continues, focusing on the phrase "lest their oppressors estrange them." This hits at the heart of the matter. When Israel is in distress, the nations estrange them. It's as if they simply cease to exist in the eyes of the world. Poof. Gone. And this estrangement, this isolating feeling, is tragically illustrated through biblical examples.

Imagine trying to escape, desperate for refuge, only to find every path blocked. That's the picture painted here. If the Israelites tried to flee north, Tyre would hand them over to their enemies, as foretold in Amos 1:9. If they sought refuge south, Azza would betray them (Amos 1:6). East? Damascus would turn them away. And west? Isaiah 21:13 speaks of the caravans of Dedanites lodging in the forest of Arav, a prophecy interpreted as a refusal of refuge.

Every direction, every hope of escape, is met with betrayal. There is nowhere to go.

It's a stark and painful image, isn't it? This feeling of being utterly alone, with no one to turn to. The Sifrei Devarim, in its brief but powerful interpretation, reminds us of the vulnerability of a people in exile, the sting of abandonment, and the importance of remembering those who feel forgotten. It's a reminder that even in moments of despair, we are called upon to act with compassion and offer refuge, rather than perpetuate the cycle of estrangement. Because what does it mean to be human if not to offer a hand to those who have no one?