משלי, פרק כ״ג, פסוק כ׳

Surrounding oneself with people driven by physical desires poses a severe moral and spiritual danger. Even a person who has not yet achieved high levels of wisdom is at risk when exposed to such negative influences [מלבי״ם]. It is a mistake for anyone to trust their own self-control, believing they can spend time with bad company without eventually adopting their destructive habits [אלשיך].

The warning focuses on two specific behaviors. The first is excessive drinking [מצודת ציון]. This involves gathering in groups with the sole intention of getting drunk [מצודת דוד] until a person completely loses their mind. This danger applies to any intoxicating beverage [עמנואל הרומי]. The second behavior is extreme gluttony, specifically the crude and excessive consumption of meat that goes far beyond normal eating habits. This lack of restraint reflects the negative traits associated with a rebellious son [מצודת ציון, עמנואל הרומי].

The specific focus on meat and wine serves to condemn the constant pursuit of luxury. A person should instead strive to be satisfied with basic necessities, such as bread and water [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Falling into a routine of heavy eating and drinking ultimately leads to personal and financial collapse. Such a lifestyle breeds laziness, eventually reducing a person to absolute poverty [רלב״ג].

The motivation behind this excessive consumption is fundamentally selfish. The primary approach among commentators is that these individuals eat and drink solely for their own physical pleasure and to satisfy their cravings, rather than for a meaningful purpose like honoring the Sabbath or a holiday. Alternatively, this excessive behavior can be viewed as a poetic form of self-destruction. In their pursuit of physical desires, these gluttons are essentially consuming their own flesh, as their lack of control ruins their health and destroys their bodies [מלבי״ם].