וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תְכַחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נִּי כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף אִם־תְּכַחֵ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
[Eli] sagte: Was war es, das [der Herr] zu dir geredet; verhehle es mir doch nicht! Also tue dir Gott, und also fahre er fort, wenn du mir ein Wort verhehlst von der ganzen Rede, die er zu dir geredet.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
Said R. Juda in the name of Rab: "The curse of a scholar, even if it is without cause, is realized; and this we see to have been the case with Achithophel. When David was digging the Shittin (foundation) of the altar [to reach the watery depth of the earth] the waters of the deep came up and threatened to flood the world; whereupon David said: 'Is there anyone who knows if it is permitted to inscribe the Holy name upon a piece of broken clay and drop it into the water?' No one responded. He exclaimed: 'Whoever amongst ye knows and abstains from answering, shall be choked.' Then Achithophel concluded a fortiori, saying: 'If for the sake of bringing pecae between husband and wife, the Lord has allowed His name [which is written in all sacredness] to be erased by water, so much the more when the peace of the entire world is threatened!' Accordingly, he decided that it is permitted. David then [following this decision] dropped into the water a bit of clay upon which the Holy name was written and the deep came back unto its original place. Nevertheless concerning Achitophel it is written (II Sam. 17, 23) And when Achitophel saw that his council was not followed, etc., and strangled himself." R. Abahu said: "The curse of a scholar, even if it is on condition, is nevertheless realized. Whence do we infer it? From Eli, for Eli said unto Samuel (I Sam. 3, 17) God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me. And although Samuel did disclose to him everything, as it is written (Ib.) And Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him, yet it is written [concerning Samuel] (Ib. 8, 3) And his sons walked not in his ways, etc."
Kohelet Rabbah
“There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, like an error that emerges from before the ruler” (Ecclesiastes 10:5).
“There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, like an error that emerges from before the ruler” – so said Jacob to Laban: “With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live […and Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them]” (Genesis 31:32). So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler,” and Rachel died.
The son of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi had something that he swallowed [lodged in his throat]. [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi] went and brought one of the disciples of bar Pandeira20Jesus of Nazareth to extricate what he had swallowed.21He wanted him to heal him with traditional medicine, but he recited an incantation, mentioning the name of his mentor, and the bone was extricated. He said to him: ‘What did you recite over him?’ He said to him: ‘This passage after that.’22Referring to phrases in the incantation. He said: ‘It would have been preferable for him to be buried and not have you recite that passage over him.’ So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”23Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s son died. Rabbi Yirmeya of Shabashta took a crown of olive branches and tied it on his head.24This was at his wedding. The Sages had issued a decree after the destruction of the Temple prohibiting crowns for grooms. Rabbi Yirmeya thought that only gold crowns were included in the decree. Shmuel heard and said: ‘It would have been preferable for him to be beheaded and not to have done so.’ So it occurred to him.25He was eventually beheaded.
Antoninus the younger, grandson of Antoninus the elder, was asking our holy Rabbi,26Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi he said: ‘Who will die first, me or you?’ He said to him: ‘I will.’ His students said to him: ‘Our Rabbi, the whole world is praying for your good life, and this is what you say?’ He said to them: ‘If my time arrives [first] what of it? And if the angel of death comes to take him [first], what will he say to him: Do not come to me [first], I am not coming? Moreover, if it will be so,27If I will die before him. the gentiles will say: Blessed is the God of the Jews, as they even know the time of their death.’ So it occurred to him, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”28Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi died first.
Another matter: “There is an evil that I have seen…like an error that emerges from before the ruler” – this is Eli the priest, who said to Samuel: My sons will not inherit my position, so, too, your sons will not inherit your position.29This is explained further in the Gemara (Makkot 11a). Eli demanded that Samuel tell him what prophecy God had revealed to him, and cursed him if he would not reveal the prophecy (see I Samuel 3:17). Although Samuel did reveal the prophecy, Eli’s curse came true nonetheless. So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”
“There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, like an error that emerges from before the ruler” – so said Jacob to Laban: “With whomever you find your gods, he shall not live […and Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them]” (Genesis 31:32). So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler,” and Rachel died.
The son of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi had something that he swallowed [lodged in his throat]. [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi] went and brought one of the disciples of bar Pandeira20Jesus of Nazareth to extricate what he had swallowed.21He wanted him to heal him with traditional medicine, but he recited an incantation, mentioning the name of his mentor, and the bone was extricated. He said to him: ‘What did you recite over him?’ He said to him: ‘This passage after that.’22Referring to phrases in the incantation. He said: ‘It would have been preferable for him to be buried and not have you recite that passage over him.’ So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”23Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s son died. Rabbi Yirmeya of Shabashta took a crown of olive branches and tied it on his head.24This was at his wedding. The Sages had issued a decree after the destruction of the Temple prohibiting crowns for grooms. Rabbi Yirmeya thought that only gold crowns were included in the decree. Shmuel heard and said: ‘It would have been preferable for him to be beheaded and not to have done so.’ So it occurred to him.25He was eventually beheaded.
Antoninus the younger, grandson of Antoninus the elder, was asking our holy Rabbi,26Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi he said: ‘Who will die first, me or you?’ He said to him: ‘I will.’ His students said to him: ‘Our Rabbi, the whole world is praying for your good life, and this is what you say?’ He said to them: ‘If my time arrives [first] what of it? And if the angel of death comes to take him [first], what will he say to him: Do not come to me [first], I am not coming? Moreover, if it will be so,27If I will die before him. the gentiles will say: Blessed is the God of the Jews, as they even know the time of their death.’ So it occurred to him, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”28Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi died first.
Another matter: “There is an evil that I have seen…like an error that emerges from before the ruler” – this is Eli the priest, who said to Samuel: My sons will not inherit my position, so, too, your sons will not inherit your position.29This is explained further in the Gemara (Makkot 11a). Eli demanded that Samuel tell him what prophecy God had revealed to him, and cursed him if he would not reveal the prophecy (see I Samuel 3:17). Although Samuel did reveal the prophecy, Eli’s curse came true nonetheless. So it was, “like an error that emerges from before the ruler.”