משלי, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ל׳

Suffering, physical pain, needless wounds, and bloodshot eyes do not simply happen by chance. They are the direct, inevitable results waiting for those who obsessively devote their time and energy to chasing alcohol. This reality answers the rhetorical questions raised previously, clearly identifying the true source of such misery.

The primary approach among commentators is that this situation does not apply to someone who drinks casually or on rare occasions. Rather, it focuses on those who constantly delay and linger to sit around wine [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, עמנואל הרומי]. This obsession takes different forms. Some explain that these individuals sit and drink deep into the late hours of the night [ביאור שטיינזלץ], while others suggest that they drink continuously from the beginning of the day until its very end [עמנואל הרומי].

As the addiction deepens, passive drinking is no longer enough. They specifically seek out a carefully poured blend of water and wine [מצודת ציון, אבן עזרא]. These individuals actively go out to search and investigate exactly where the finest, most prestigious wine is sold [רש״י, עמנואל הרומי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Different perspectives highlight the intense nature of this search. Some explain that the drinkers look for exceptionally strong wines that can absorb large amounts of water, allowing them to consume massive quantities without feeling like they are merely drinking water [אלשיך]. Another perspective suggests that after drinking all night, these individuals begin a new journey, specifically hunting for an expert pourer who knows exactly how to craft and mix the drink perfectly, just so they can begin another round [מלבי״ם].

This lifestyle exacts a heavy price. Instead of using their late hours and intellectual abilities to study Torah and develop a reverence for God, they waste their minds investigating the quality of alcoholic drinks [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They might view themselves as champions of drinking who can hold their liquor and maintain their sanity [אלשיך]. However, their constant craving ultimately ends in severe intoxication. This drunkenness inevitably leads to violent fights, physical injuries, and terrible harm that they inflict upon one another [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד].