What is the meaning of "Chata'im Teradef Ra'ah"?
Rashi: A Rasha, his evil pursues him until his destruction.
R. Yonah #1: The evil that they did pursues them to make them stumble in a more severe Aveirah, so they will perish without hope.
R. Yonah #2: Teradef is Po'el Yotzei (it acts on others). Their evil causes them to pursue Aveiros.
Malbim: The punishment for the sins does not come from Hashem. Evils do not come from Him. Rather, the evil itself pursues them constantly until it catches them. The punishment is part of the nature of the evil itself - the Satan is the angel of death. The snake does not kill - sin kills!
What do we learn from "v'Es Tzadikim Yeshalem Tov"?
R. Yonah: The good that Tzadikim did, it pays them that they will not stumble again in any Aveirah - if one guards himself from an Aveirah 1 , like we explained above (12:21).
Malbim: The reward of Mitzvos is from Hashem. It is like payment, even when payment is not found in the nature of the Mitzvah. This is like a king who commanded his servants not to eat a particular species of fruit, for it is lethal poison. They should eat fruit Ploni, which is healthy. Those who eat the poison, the poison itself punishes and kills them. Those who eat the good fruit, aside from eating what is good and beneficial, they are rewarded for heeding the king's command.
Magihah citing Yuma 38b: If a [temptation to] sin arose twice, and he did not sin, afterwards he will not sin - "Raglei Chasidav Yishmor" (Shmuel I, 2:9).
