출애굽기 21:29 카발라: Sha'arei Kedusha

This accords with what our sages, of blessed memory, stated⁶⁰⁷Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 19a-19b about the incident with King Yanai, that because the sages of the court of the Sanhedrin flattered and yielded to him in a minor way by not forcing him to stand during judgment, the angel Gavriel came and struck them to the ground and they died.⁶⁰⁸A slave of King Yanai killed someone. The court sent word to him and he sent them the slave. They sent word back to him that he himself must come in person, as per the verse (Exodus 21:29), “He should be testified against, with his owner.” Yannai came and sat down. Shimon ben Shetach said to him: Yannai the King, stand on your feet and witnesses will testify against you. It is not before us that you will be standing, but it is before He who spoke and the world was, as it states (Deuteronomy 19:17), “Then both people, between whom the controversy is, shall stand.” Yannai answered: “I will not stand if you alone say this, but only according to what your colleagues say.” Shimon ben Shetach turned to his right, but the other judges lowered their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. He turned to his left, and they too forced their faces to the ground and said nothing out of fear. Shimon ben Shetach said to them: You are masters of thought! May the Master of thoughts come and punish you. Immediately, Gavriel came and struck those judges to the ground and they died. (Sanhedrin 19a-19b ibid.) Similarly, when they flattered King Agrippa, who was righteous, the enemies of the Jewish people⁶⁰⁹This is a euphemism for the Jewish people. were sentenced to destruction.⁶¹⁰Talmud Bavli, Sotah 41a-b – King Agrippa rose and read from the Torah while standing, and the sages praised him for it (though a king can read while sitting). When he came to the verse (Deuteronomy 17:15), “You may not appoint a foreigner over you,” tears flowed from his eyes (since it excluded him from Kingship, being that he was a descendent of Herod). The assembled said to him: Fear not, Agrippa, for you are our brother. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan that in that moment, they were sentenced to destruction for having flattered Agrippa.