איוב, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ח׳

Choosing a path of wickedness and hypocrisy is ultimately pointless when a person reaches the end of life. A life built on lies offers no real profit or purpose, especially since God holds absolute control over life and death.

Commentators explore the nature of this corrupt individual. Some define him as someone who simply gives in to his evil desires [מצודת ציון]. Others describe a classic hypocrite whose outward speech hides his true thoughts, constantly trying to deceive those around him or falsely flatter God [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. This corrupt behavior often takes the form of robbery, whether by illegally taking someone else's wealth or by stealing another person's good standing [רש״י, רלב״ג, מצודת ציון, רמב״ן, שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the individual's goal might simply be to extract personal gain from living a two-faced life [מלבי״ם].

What, then, can such a person hope for? While a righteous person looks forward to spiritual joy, the corrupt individual who exploits others has absolutely nothing to expect at the end of his days [מצודת דוד]. Job uses this very logic to prove his own innocence. He argues that he has no reason to put on a fake front, flatter God, or trick his friends. Hypocrisy yields no true reward, and God certainly does not grant a hypocrite the mercy of a peaceful passing [אלשיך, מלבי״ם].

When the time comes for the wicked person to die, God's response to his soul is understood in several ways. The primary approach among commentators is that God will forcefully pull out and cast away the person's soul from his body and away from His presence [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רמב״ן, מצודת ציון, חומת אנך, שטיינזלץ]. A related view suggests the soul is taken forcefully, like plunder [אבן עזרא]. A different perspective views God's action as a form of divine irony: just as the hypocrite spent his life deceiving others, God will create an illusion to deceive his soul in the end [מלבי״ם]. Finally, another line of thought simply questions whether a person who lived by theft and lies could ever expect his soul to rest in peace and comfort [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם].