The profound difference between genuine compassion and twisted morality is most visible in how people treat those who depend on them. A truly upright person possesses a deep internal sensitivity to the needs of others. The primary approach among commentators is that this sensitivity translates into practical care for the physical needs and well-being of one's animals and household. Because animals cannot voice their needs, the righteous individual pays close attention, observing what they lack. He provides the right amount of food at the proper time and ensures the animal is never overworked. By acting with such attentive care, the righteous person imitates the traits of God, who sustains and provides for all living creatures [מלבי״ם, עמנואל הרומי, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
In sharp contrast, the compassion of the wicked is fundamentally rooted in cruelty. Even when a wicked person appears to act mercifully, it is merely an external display rather than the product of a truly compassionate heart [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא]. Often, their kindness is driven by entirely selfish motives. They might feed an animal exceptionally well only to exhaust it with heavy labor, or they may keep a person alive strictly to exploit them [מלבי״ם]. Even the act of pampering a pet can be tainted with cruel behavior that ultimately causes the animal pain [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. What a wicked person perceives as mercy is quickly exposed as cruelty when measured against the genuine compassion of the righteous [אמרי דעת].
This dynamic between mercy and cruelty extends beyond the treatment of dependents and into the realm of justice. Showing mercy to wicked individuals who continue to sin is actually an act of cruelty toward the righteous. Conversely, when a righteous person punishes or disciplines wrongdoers to guide them away from their destructive paths, it might outwardly appear cruel. This is especially true when contrasted with the immense gentleness they show to animals. However, this strict discipline is an expression of profound mercy, intended to save the souls of the wrongdoers [אלשיך, עמנואל הרומי].
On a deeper, allegorical level, this concept reflects the internal struggle within every human being. The animal represents the physical body and its base desires, while the human master represents the spiritual soul and intellect. According to this approach, the righteous person cares for his inner animal by providing the body with only the essential food and resources it needs to survive, without depriving it entirely. Alternatively, this care is understood as an act of subduing; the righteous person conquers his physical desires, making them serve his intellect [עמנואל הרומי, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. The wicked, however, show mercy to their bodies by indulging every physical craving without limit. Pampering the body in this way is a terrible cruelty to themselves, as it ultimately corrupts their spiritual soul and costs them eternal life [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, עמנואל הרומי, אלשיך].