איוב, פרק כ״ד, פסוק כ״א

The twisted morality of the wicked is most clearly seen in how they treat the most vulnerable women in society and how they manage their own selfish family lives. A sharp contrast exists between their relentless pursuit of personal pleasure and their profound cruelty toward the defenseless.

The primary approach among commentators understands the wicked man's behavior as a deliberate campaign of destruction against those who cannot fight back [מצודת ציון, רלב״ג, אבן עזרא]. He exploits the weakness of isolated women. Because a barren woman has no sons to defend her or hold her hand, he crushes and tramples her. In the exact same way, he harms the widow, knowing she has no husband to come to her aid, and shows her absolutely no mercy [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, תקות אנוש].

Alternatively, other scholars interpret the wicked man's actions not as physical violence, but as the intense, selfish nurturing of a specific relationship [רש״י, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אלשיך]. This perspective uncovers an ancient, cruel social custom where men would take two wives. One was kept strictly for pleasure and beauty, while the other was used solely for bearing children. The wicked man gives his pleasure-wife a sterilizing drink to ensure she remains barren, thereby preserving her youth and appearance. He pampers her, feeds her delicacies, and adorns her with decorations. Meanwhile, he completely neglects the second wife. He starves her and forces her to wear the dark, mournful clothing of a widow, refusing to do any good for her [רש״י, מלבי״ם].

Expanding on this self-centered behavior, some note that while he pours all his energy into pampering his barren wife for his own enjoyment, he completely ignores the opportunity to support an actual widow who desperately needs charity [אלשיך]. Others suggest his selfishness extends beyond his own lifetime, as he makes no arrangements to provide for the widow he will eventually leave behind after his death [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another view argues that the wicked man intentionally forces his only wife to become barren simply to avoid the burden of raising children, ultimately leaving her humiliated and as isolated as a widow [רמב״ן].

Beyond a literal description of social or domestic abuse, these choices serve as a powerful metaphor for the ultimate fate of the wicked. A life built on evil is compared to a man who deliberately ties his future to a barren woman and a widow. Just as that man will eventually find himself completely alone, with no children to support him in times of hardship, the path of the wicked is doomed to fail. His actions will never bear fruit, and he will ultimately be left without any support or lasting legacy [תקות אנוש, רמב״ן].