What is the significance of "Echezu Lanu Shu'alim"?
Rashi: Hashem heard the voices [of Yisrael near the sea]. He commanded the sea, and it flooded the foxes 1 .
Seforno: They are haughty to dress like Chachamim, and they have no Ru'ach.
Malbim (Melitzah): This Dibur was not absolute Nevu'ah; Shlomo's Nefesh did not totally leave the body. The verse describes how he united with his supreme Beloved while still in the body, and the bodily powers did not stop it. Nefesh Shlomo sent the bodily powers to seize small foxes that were damaging vineyards. Foxes represent imagination. A fox' cleverness is from its power of imagination more than other living beings, to think craftily. Because his Nefesh did not leave the body, visions of imagination are mixed with the intellect's understanding. Via this, Nevi'im see images and pictures - "uv'Yad ha'Nevi'im Adameh" (Hoshe'a 12:11). When physicality engages in images of imagination, intellect gets a clear understanding from Hashem's influence on it. The beloved, Nefesh Shlomo, sent her youths (physical powers) to seize foxes (engage in imagination) to produce visions, e.g. her Beloved skipping on mountains like a deer or Ayal. While the physical powers engaged in visions that pertain to the senses, the intellect was united with her Beloved and attained prophetic understanding.
Malbim (Mashal): The beloved did not leave the city; Bnos Yerushalayim were guarding her. In order to be isolated with her beloved - "Dodi Li" (16), she sent Bnos Yerushalayim to seize foxes that are ruining the vineyards. These are the same foxes that Shimshon sent to destroy the vineyard of the Pelishtim, who did not object that they gave his Arusah to another man. They are taking also me from my husband!
Why does it say "small foxes"?
Rashi: Also the small foxes ruined the vineyards while they were Semadar, i.e. the grapes were small. When a Bas Yisrael gave birth to a boy, she hid him. The Egyptians entered their houses and searched for male [babies]. They brought Egyptian babies. When the Jewish baby heard the Egyptian baby speak, he answered, and the Egyptians found where he was hidden and cast him in the river. They are called foxes, for a fox looks back to flee 1 . So the Egyptians looked back - "Anusah Mipnei Bnei Yisrael" (Shemos 14:25). Shu'alim is written without a Vov, so it can be read Sha'alim; He paid them with water, which was measured with Sha'alo - "Mi Madad b'Sha'alo 2 Mayim" (Yeshayah 40:12).
Seforno: They are not qualified to give Halachic rulings.
How do they damage the vineyards?
Seforno: They rule unlike the Halachah.
Malbim (Melitzah): In this Sefer, Nevu'ah is compared to wine - the Neshamah's Simchah due to understanding. Shlomo's first Nevu'ah was absolute - "Hevi'ani El Beis ha'Yayin", "Samechuni ba'Ashishos" (4-5). The Nefesh left physicality and its powers. There was no mixture of imagination. It drank wine guarded in the grapes. This Nevu'ah was not absolute. It did not drink from flasks. It is compared to a vineyard, from which wine comes. It was Ru'ach ha'Kodesh, like a beginning and preparation for Nevu'ah, just like a vineyard is preparation for wine.
Why does it say that our vineyard is Semadar?
Seforno: You do not find clear Halachah and Mishnah.
Malbim (Melitzah): This was not the beginning of absolute Nevu'ah. Therefore there were many pictures of imagination which ruin the vineyard (Nevu'ah) and darken its light. Amidst this, the Nefesh was isolated with its Beloved and saw the pleasantness of Hashem and heard His Kadosh words. We find that Shimshon sent foxes to destroy the vineyards 1 of Timnah when they gave his wife to another man. So foxes (the power of imagination) ruin the vineyard of Nevu'ah via giving the beloved, Nefesh Shlomo, to ha'Melech Shlomo (it was mixed with physicality, and could not separate from it to connect to its supreme Beloved).
They burned "mi'Gadish v'Ad Kamah v'Ad Kerem Zayis" (Shoftim 15:5). We do not find that they burned a Stam vineyard (of grapes)! (PF)