תהלים, פרק ל״ה, פסוק ט״ז

During a person’s downfall, enemies are rarely satisfied with merely inflicting direct harm. Instead, they gather a crowd of cynical flatterers, turning personal suffering into cruel public entertainment. This mocking mob uses harsh speech and threatening body language to deepen the victim's humiliation. These individuals are driven by wickedness and malice, using flattery and ridicule as their primary weapons against the vulnerable [מאירי, שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators suggests that these flatterers and mockers are motivated by material gain. They trade their insults for food, drink, and basic favors [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, תורה תמימה]. A striking historical example of this behavior occurred when individuals flattered King Saul and degraded David simply to secure a seat and a meal at the royal table [רש״י]. Taking a more metaphorical view, others suggest that the mockers do not seek literal food. Rather, they consume the act of mocking itself, enjoying the cruelty as if they were eating a delicious pastry with great appetite [אבן עזרא].

Beyond the pursuit of food or the appetite for cruelty, some explain that these individuals are simply driven by base desires, wasting their days engaging in empty, idle chatter [רד״ק]. Another unique perspective focuses on their physical arrangement, describing them as a group that deliberately sits together in a tight circle for the sole purpose of slandering and ridiculing their target [אלשיך].

The final layer of this humiliation involves a harsh physical display—the grinding and gnashing of teeth. For some, this intense physical reaction is a clear display of deep-seated anger, rage, and hatred directed at the victim [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. However, others view this same action quite differently. Rather than anger, the grinding of teeth reveals a twisted sense of joy. It is an expression of pure pleasure and triumph as the attacker revels in the sweet taste of revenge against a fallen enemy [רד״ק].