What is "uv'Chen"?
Ibn Ezra: It is then; this is the Targum of "Az [Yashir Moshe]" (Shemos 15:1).
Rashbam: This refers to "Kol Zo Nisisi va'Chachmah;
What do we learn from "Resha'im Kevurim [va'Va'u]"?
Gitin 56b: "Kevurim" teaches that even our buried treasures were exposed to them. Also refer to 8:10:3:1.
Rav Sadya Gaon: This refers to Resha'im who were already buried and forgotten.
Rashi: These are Resha'im proper to be buried in earth. They were disgraced among other nations - "Zeh ha'Am Lo Hayah" (Yeshayah 23:13).
Rashbam: Resha'im are called buried even in their lifetime, for death is proper for them - "v'Atah Chalal Rasha Nesi Yisrael" (Yechezkel 21:30). Seforno - they are dead They came from the war to their place.
Rid: I saw Resha'im punished for this (ruling over and harming others), and they died young. They passed from the world; "va'Va'u" is like "u'Va ha'Shamesh" (1:5).
Metzudas David: I saw Resha'im who fell and were at the lowest level, and people thought that they will not return to their earlier state, as if they were buried in the land. After, they came and returned to their earlier state, as if they left their graves.
What do we learn from "[Ra'isi Resha'im Kevurim] va'Va'u umi'Makom Kadosh Yehalechu va'Yishtachechu va'Ir"?
Gitin 56b: Titus put all the Kelim of the Mikdash in the Paroches, like a sack, and embarked to aggrandize himself in his city. Do not read Kevurim (buried), rather Kevutzim (gathered). Do not read va'Yishtachechu (forgotten), rather va'Yishtabechu 1 (they praised themselves).
Rav Sadya Gaon: It is as if they went from Kadosh places 2 . It was forgotten in their cities what they did.
Rashi: They ruled over Makom Kadosh (Hashem's house), and went to their city va'Yishtabechu (and aggrandized themselves). In the end they will be forgotten - "v'Kibatzti Es Kol ha'Goyim v'Horadtim El Emek Yehoshafat" (Yo'el 4:2) - where they reviled Hashem, they will be punished - "ba'Ir Tzalmam Tivzeh" (Tehilim 73:20).
Ibn Ezra #1: Some say that "Kevurim" means guarded in their castles 3 . "Va'Va'u" and "Yehalechu" - they did their desire. Va'Yishtachechu is the Targum of "va'Yimtze'u" (Bereishis 11:2).
Ibn Ezra #2: Some say that "va'Va'u" is hidden, like "u'Va ha'Shamesh" (1:5) and "Ba bi'Scharo 4 " (Shemos 22:14).
Ibn Ezra #3: I saw Resha'im who ruled over people, and they died without afflictions, buried in their graves - "Ki Ein Chartzubos l'Mosam" (Tehilim 73:4), and they came to the world a second time, i.e. their children stand in place of them and memory of them persists. And Kedoshim died without a son, and were forgotten in their city. How is it that a Tzadik and all the good that he did are forgotten, and the Rasha dies in serenity, and leaves sons in place of him?!
Rashbam: I saw Resha'im who are worthy of death, who come and go from a Kadosh place, and they did many destructions and evils there. Yehalechu is a repetition of va'Va'u. In the end, they were forgotten there.
Ri Kara: I saw Resha'im who were not paid for all that they did in this world. They finished their days in pleasantness, until they came to their fathers in their graves. They plundered the poor, and spilled innocent blood in a Kadosh place, and from there went to their deaths. All that they did in their city, after it was all forgotten.
Rid: They will go to Gan Eden and be expelled from there. Also in the city where they did evil, they will be forgotten; they have no reputation there.
Metzudas David: Tzadikim go from a Kadosh place - their entire path is from Kedushah to Kedushah. When they fell, they did not rise again. They were forgotten in the city where they did Emes and what is proper.
Seforno: Titus pierced the Paroches with a sword, and blood spurted out. He thought he had killed 'himself' (this is a euphemism for Him; 56b). Also Sancheriv said "Atah Shamata Es Asher Asu Malchei Ashur l'Chol ha'Aratzos Lehacharimam" (Melachim II, 19:11).
Magihah (in Toras Chayim): Where they were revered [in their lifetimes].
Ibn Ezra: This is a mistake. Rashbam - Yishtachechu refers to finding only in Arame'ic, but not in Leshon ha'Kodesh.
Ibn Ezra: Also this is a mistake. Va refers to concealment only regarding the sun, for it is the opposite of Yatza - "ha'Shamesh Yatza Al ha'Aretz" (Bereishis 19:23). "Ba bi'Scharo" means that this came to him (the owner will not be paid for the loss of his animal) due to his wage (he is working for the borrower).
What is "Asher Ken Asu"?
Ibn Ezra, Metzudas David: They did Emes. This is like "Ken Bnos Tzlafchad Dovros" (Bamidbar 27:7).
Why does it say "Gam Zeh Hevel"?
Rashi: This is one of the Havalim given to the world to weary people. Hashem does not rush to punish, and people think that there is no judgment or judge.
Rashbam: People do not know why Hashem delays punishing Resha'im so much, and are astounded due to this.
Ri Kara: Had they been punished in their lifetimes, they would have repented, and others would have taken Musar from them!
Seforno: Their boasting had no purpose, and caused them a loss in this world and the world to come.
Metzudas David: Even though there is some benefit in this - it causes great reward to those who do Tzedek, when (even though) they see that Resha'im rise after they fall and Tzadikim perish - still, it is considered Hevel, like the coming verse explains.
