משלי, פרק כ״א, פסוק ו׳

Gathering wealth or knowledge through deceit is a passing illusion that ultimately destroys the deceiver. The primary approach among commentators focuses on the material world. Gathering treasures refers to collecting wealth through fraud, false testimony, forged documents, or counterfeit money [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם]. Wealth gained this way has no real substance and will not last. It is like straw or chaff easily blown away by the wind [מצודת ציון, עמנואל הרומי]. The money will simply vanish. The consequences, however, go beyond financial ruin. Those who chase profits through lies are actually bringing disaster upon themselves. When the authorities inevitably expose their crimes, they face the ultimate punishment of death [מלבי״ם, עמנואל הרומי]. A slight variation in reading suggests that rather than actively seeking death, the lie itself acts as a deadly trap for the person who tells it [רש״י, מנחת שי].

Shifting away from physical wealth, another perspective views this concept through an intellectual lens. Here, gathering treasures refers to building ideas and wisdom based on false assumptions. Because the foundation is built on a lie, the resulting conclusions are completely empty and cannot survive. Individuals who spread these corrupt ideas damage both their own souls and the souls of anyone who listens, effectively bringing ruin upon themselves [רלב״ג, עמנואל הרומי].

A completely different viewpoint presents the gathering of treasures in a positive light, referring to the collection of Commandments and good deeds for the World to Come. This spiritual gathering often requires personal sacrifice and self-denial in the present world. In this context, the lies come from those who mock the righteous. These cynics falsely claim that pursuing spiritual treasures is just empty nonsense, pushed by people who simply want to suffer and bring death upon themselves in this life [אלשיך].