“It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his army, said to Abraham, saying: God is with you in everything that you do” (Genesis 21:22). “It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his army, said” – “When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man, He will cause even his enemies to make peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This refers to one’s wife, as it is stated: “The members of his household are a man’s enemy” (Micah 7:6).
There was once an incident involving a woman who filed a complaint against her husband to the authorities and they beheaded him.1This is to illustrate how a man’s wife can be his enemy. Some say, they [subsequently] beheaded her, as well. Rabbi Shmuel said: It refers to a snake. It is taught: Rabbi Ḥalafta says: Snakes are keen for garlic.
There was once an incident involving a snake that came down from the mountain into a house and found a bowl of garlic. It ate from it and emitted [some venom] into it. Another snake that was in the house was unable to stand up to it [to fend it off]. When that [mountain] snake departed, the house snake came out and filled [the bowl] with dirt.2In order to protect the members of the household, it brought dirt from the ground and spit it into the poisoned garlic so they would not eat it.
The members of this house were apparently righteous, and so ‘the Lord was pleased with their ways.’ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It refers to the evil inclination. The usual way of the world is that if a person grows up with another person, two or three years in the same city, he develops a liking for him. But this one [the evil inclination] grows up with a person from his youth to his old age, and if it finds an opportunity within seventy years, it will bring him down,3By causing him to sin. [and even] within eighty years,4Even in his old age. it will bring him down.
This is what David says: “All my bones will say: Lord, who is like You, who delivers the poor from those who are stronger, the poor and the needy from their despoiler?” (Psalms 35:10). Rabbi Aḥa said: Is there any greater despoiler than this [the evil inclination]?5So David was thanking God for delivering men from the clutches of their evil inclinations. Solomon said: “If your enemy6Alluding to the evil inclination, as above. is hungry, feed him bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink” (Proverbs 25:21). [This means: Give him] from the bread of Torah, as it says, [referring to Torah wisdom]: “Come partake of my bread” (Proverbs 9:4), [and give himfrom the water of Torah, as it says [referring to the Torah]: “Ho, anyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1).
Rabbi Berekhya said: [It doesn’t say only ] “his enemies,” [but] “even [gam] his enemies” (Proverbs 16:7) – this is to include the pests of one’s house, such as gnats, fleas, and flies.7“When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man,” He shields him from such annoyances. Alternatively, “when the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man [ish]” – this refers to Abraham, who was called ish, as it is written in his regard: “The man [ish] of My counsel from a distant land” (Isaiah 46:11). “Even his enemies” – this refers to Avimelekh.