ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף משלי 24:25

ממחליק לשון, “more than the flatterer with his tongue;” with these words Solomon in the above quoted line, refers to Bileam, who instead of rebuking Israel, heaped words of flattery upon them (Numbers 24,5). He referred specifically to what Bileam had said there, i.e. מה טובו אהליך יעקב, “how goodly are your tents, Yaakov. (Compare D’varim Rabbah 1,2.) Our author elaborates with a parable. A prince had two ministers, one of whom he loved and the other he had grown to hate. He cautioned the minister whom he loved not to commit any misdemeanours, as if such would come to the attention of the King he would be severely punished, the king not exercising any mercy. He encouraged the minister he hated to live his life without restraints as even if he did become guilty of a misdemeanour he had someone at court who would intervene on his behalf. Moses acted similarly; seeing that he loved Israel, he warned them not to become guilty not to follow the wrong path as this would lead to disaster for them. (Deut. 11,16) Bileam, on the other hand, seeing that he hated Israel, would praise them, hoping that in their exuberance they would commit acts through which they would forfeit the goodwill of their heavenly Father. Concerning the Jewish people, Bileam had said in Numbers 23,19: לא איש א-ל ויכזב, “G–d is not like man who threatens and relents,” in dealing with the gentile nations He never relents; but when dealing with the Jwewish people, דבר ולא יקימנו, “even though He had expressed verbally His wrath and threatened punishment, in the end He will not carry out what He had threatened.” (same verse) Concerning the Jewish people, Solomon said in Proverbs 27,6: נאמנים פצעי אוהב ונעתרות נשיקות שונא, “wounds inflicted by a loved one are long lasting; the kisses of an enemy are profuse.” Concerning Moses, Solomon said in Proverbs 24,25: ולמוכיחים ינעם ועליהם תבא ברכת טוב, “but those who rebuke the wicked will experience delight; blessings of good things will come upon them.” You will note that Solomon does not conclude with the word עליו, “upon him,” the rebuker, but he uses the plural mode, עליהם, “upon them,” i.e. the ones who have been rebuked.

A Midrashic approach based on Sifri Haazinu: G’d told the people that He had created earth to serve their needs. He asks the people if, perchance the earth became disloyal and produced barley in response to the Jewish farmer sowing wheat? Or, did the heaven which He had similarly created in order to provide the Israelites with light and useful navigational information, etc., ever changed its path so that the expectations of the people were disappointed? Does not the Bible testify of the sun that “the sun rises, shines and sets at the appointed time” (Kohelet 1,8)? G’d reasons that if these planets which do not receive a reward for being loyal and carrying out their appointed tasks do not deviate therefrom, how much more so must the Jewish people who do receive a reward for keeping the Torah, and who do have to fear punishment for failure to keep these laws, be concerned with not deviating from the path of Torah? Keeping these thoughts in mind, Moses suggests to them: ‘better choose for yourself life.” This is the way Rashi explains our verse. This is what David had in mind when he said in Psalms 16,5: “the Lord is my allotted portion and my share; You control my fate.” It is as if David had said to G’d: “place my hand on the fate which spells ‘good.’” G’d Himself is called “Good,” as we know from Psalms 145,9: “טוב ה' לכל, “ or טוב וישר ה', (Psalms 25,8). Both verses equate G’d with “good.” G’d also gave the Jewish people the Torah, which is also known as “good,” as we know from Proverbs 4,2 כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם, “for I have given you a good acquisition.” The reason why the Torah is referred to as a “good acquisition,” is because the Jewish people can hang on to it both in this world and in the world to come. The sages cite our verse as proof for the fact that Torah will be with us in both worlds. This is the meaning of the words in Deut. 5,16: ‘in order that your days on earth will be long.” The Torah refers to a life which is long, infinite, i.e. the world to come. The last words in that verse, i.e. למען ייטב לך, “in order that He will be good for you,” also refer to a world which is totally good, the world to come. Solomon pursues the same approach when he said (Proverbs 24,25) “but those who rebuke the wicked will experience delight, blessings of good (things) will come upon them.”
The sages cite our verse as proof of the fact that Torah will be with us in both worlds. This is the meaning of the words in Deut. 5,16: “in order that your days on earth will be long.” The Torah refers to a life which is long, infinite, i.e. the world to come. The last words in that verse, i.e. למען ייטב לך, “in order that He will be good to you,” also refer to a world which is totally good, the world to come. Solomon pursues the same approach when he said (Proverbs 24,25) “but those who rebuke the wicked will experience delight, blessings of good (things) will come upon them.