What is the meaning of "l'Ish Kamocha Rish'echa..."?
Rashi: What can your evil or virtue help? Refer to 35:9:1:1.
Malbim: Your evil harms only a person like yourself. Evil Bein Adam l'Chavero harms people. Evil done to himself, it harms him. Similarly, your virtue helps only people. If so, how can you request reward, or ask Hashem to punish the Rasha? A doctor need not pay a patient for following his commands, nor punish him for disobeying. His reward or punishment is being cured, or dying! One who follows Hashem's commands acquires perfection of his Nefesh; one who transgresses, he clouds it. One who does evil to others, society will repay him. Hashem made man social; people help each other to fulfill their needs. If they have etiquette and good laws to guard society, and join to do good to each other, they will have serenity and success. If they have evil laws and act like wolves, all will receive evil, and constantly fear plunderers, extortionists and murderers. They will be like fish, that swallow one another alive 1 .
Malbim: Also man himself - if he acts with proper Midos and curbing desires, naturally he will be happy. If not, nature will be evil to him. A glutton and drunkard will be poor. Desire of a lazy person kills him. Anger kills an Evil, and envy makes bones rot. Delicacies bring illness; an adulteress kills multitudes. One who transgresses society's rules, society will punish him. (NOTE: Malbim explained Elifaz (5:15) to say that Hashem annuls man's choice. If not, the big would swallow the small, like fish. - PF)
