עִם הַגַּב אֶל הַקִּיר
IM HA-GAV EL HA-KIR
With the back to the wall
We use this expression when referring to someone who has reached a very difficult situation, which leads them to do things they would not normally do.
אֲנַחְנוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בַּבִּיטּוּי הַזֶּה כְּשֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ מִתְכַּוְּנִים לְמִישֶׁהוּ שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְמַצָּב קָשֶׁה מְאוֹד וְזֶה גּוֹרֵם לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּמַצָּב רָגִיל לֹא הָיָה עוֹשָׂה.
There is a story about a man who worked all his life to support his family. He lived a modest life but managed to buy food for his loved ones. One day, he lost his job and was unable to find a new one. He was forced to steal food to feed his children, and the police caught him.
מְסַפְּרִים עַל אִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁכָּל חַיָּיו עָבַד לְפַרְנָסָתוֹ. הוּא חַי חַיִּים צְנוּעִים אֲבָל הִצְלִיחַ לִקְנוֹת אוֹכֶל לְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ.
יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא אִבֵּד אֶת עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְלֹא הִצְלִיחַ לִמְצוֹא עֲבוֹדָה חֲדָשָׁה. הוּא נֶאֱלַץ לִגְנוֹב אוֹכֶל כְּדֵי לְהָבִיא לִילָדָיו וְהַמִּשְׁטָרָה תָּפְסָה אוֹתוֹ.
Everyone in town knew him and recognized him as a good person, and when they asked him why he had stolen, he replied: "I was with my back against the wall."
כּוּלָּם בָּעִיר הִכִּירוּ אוֹתוֹ וְיָדְעוּ שֶׁהוּא אָדָם טוֹב וּכְשֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ אוֹתוֹ מַדּוּעַ גָּנַב? הוּא אָמַר: "הָיִיתִי עִם הַגַּב אֶל הַקִּיר".
People who are "with their back against the wall" are those who feel like they have nothing left to lose. Bringing someone to such a situation is highly dangerous because a person with nothing to lose may take reckless or desperate actions.
אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים בְּמַצָּב שֶׁהֵם "עִם הַגַּב אֶל הַקִּיר" הֵם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁמַּרְגִּישִׁים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם מָה לְהַפְסִיד. זֶה מְאוֹד מְסוּכָּן לְהָבִיא אֲנָשִׁים לְמַצָּב כָּזֶה כִּי מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מָה לְהַפְסִיד יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים מְסוּכָּנִים.