Now of him who relaxes his hold of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written: “If thou art faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is straitened” (Prov. 24, 10), and the only way of holding firmly to God is to hold firmly to the Torah; for whosoever holds firmly to the Torah holds firmly to the tree of life, and, as it were, adds strength to the community of Israel.
Again, when a man relaxes his hold of the Torah and walks in the wrong path, ever so many enemies are ready at hand to act as his accusers in the day of trouble, nay, even his own soul, which is his power and strength, turns against him, and becomes his enemy, so that it may be said of him “thy strength becomes an enemy” (zar=enemy, or straitened).’ Said R. Abba: ‘When a man follows the guidance of the Torah and walks in the straight path, many are the advocates that rise up to say a good word for him.
Thus we read: “If there be for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for man’s uprightness; then he is gracious unto him, and saith: Deliver him from the pit, I have found a ransom” (Job 33, 23, 24). These verses’, continued R. Abba, ‘present a difficulty. Is not everything revealed before God, that He should require an angel to point out to Him the good or bad that is found in a man,
so that only when a man has defenders on his side to recall his merits before Him, and no accusers, then He is gracious unto him, and saith: “Deliver him from going down into the pit, I have found a ransom”?
But the language of the text, if properly considered, contains the answer. For it would have sufficed to say: “If there be for him an angel”; who, then, is the “intercessor, one among a thousand”? It is one of the angels appointed to follow man on his left side. There are a thousand such, as it says, “A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand” (Ps. 91, 7).
Now “one among a thousand” is a designation of the evil prompter, who is the outstanding figure of the thousand on the left, since he is the one who ascends on high and obtains authorisation. Hence, if a man walks in the way of truth and the evil prompter becomes his servant, according to the words, “Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant” (Prov. 12, 9), then he ascends on high and becomes the man’s advocate, pleading his merits before God, whereupon God says: “Deliver him from going down into the pit.”
Nevertheless, the evil prompter does not return empty-handed, since another man is delivered into his power, one whose sins he has already set forth, and this one is a ransom for the other man. This is what is meant by the words: “I (God) have found a compensation” (for thee, the accuser).
According to another interpretation, the ransom consists in the merits of the man, through which he is freed from the pit and from death. It is therefore incumbent on a man to walk in the path of truth so that the accuser should be turned into his defender.
A similar procedure is employed by Israel on the Day of Atonement, when they tender a he-goat to the evil prompter and so engage his attention until he ascends and gives testimony before the Almighty, in their favour. Thus Solomon says: “If thine adversary be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink” (Ibid. 25, 21), referring to the evil prompter.
The words: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble” apply to Jacob when Esau came forward to accuse him, and the words: “and he knoweth them that put their trust in him” were exemplified when the trouble of Dinah befell him. Observe that the accuser attacks a man only in time of danger;
and so it was on account of Jacob having delayed to fulfill his vows which he had made to God that the accuser came forward against him, selecting the moment when Rachel’s life was in danger. “Behold,” he said, “Jacob has made vows and has not paid them; he has wealth and children and is short of nothing, yet he has not paid his vow that he made before Thee;
and Thou hast not punished him.” Then straightway “Rachel travailed and she had hard labour”, the term “hard” indicating that a severe doom was issued on high at the instigation of the angel of death.’ AND RACHEL DIED.
We have seen that Jacob, at the time Esau came up to him, put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Why did he put Rachel hindermost? Because he feared that the wicked Esau might observe her beauty and assail him on account of her.
It is written further: “Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed down. And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed down”, the females before the males. But in regard to Rachel it is written: “and after came Joseph near and Rachel”, that is, Joseph in front of his mother, so as to protect her.
And here Rachel was punished at the hand of the evil prompter, who availed himself of the moment of danger and brought accusations against her; and Jacob was punished for not having paid his vow. Jacob felt this blow more acutely than all the other sufferings that befell him. That her death was due to him we learn from his words: “Rachel died upon me” (Gen. 48, 7), or, as we may translate, “on account of me”, i.e. through my not having paid my vows.
R. Jose said: ‘It is written: “the curse that is causeless shall come home” (Prov. 26, 2). This signifies that the curse of a righteous man, even if pronounced under a misapprehension, once uttered is caught up by the evil prompter to be used at a moment of danger.
Now Jacob said to Laban: “With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live” (Gen. 31, 32); and although he was unaware that it was Rachel who had stolen them, the Satan (adversary) who perpetually dogs the footsteps of the sons of men, seized on that utterance. Hence we are taught that a man should “never open his mouth for the Satan”, inasmuch as the latter is sure to take hold of his utterance and use it to bring accusations on high and below; all the more so if it is the utterance of a righteous man or a sage. These, then, were the true causes of Rachel’s death.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב (משלי כ״ד:י׳) הִתְרַפִּיתָ בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה. מַאי הִתְרַפִּיתָ. מַאן דְּאִתְרַפֵּי יְדוֹי מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּלָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בֵּיהּ. וְהֵיךְ יִתְקַף בַר נָשׁ בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יַתְקִיף בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְתַּקַּף בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. כִּבְיָכוֹל יָהַב תּוּקְפָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִתְתַּקְפָא.
Now of him who relaxes his hold of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written: “If thou art faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is straitened” (Prov. 24, 10), and the only way of holding firmly to God is to hold firmly to the Torah; for whosoever holds firmly to the Torah holds firmly to the tree of life, and, as it were, adds strength to the community of Israel.
וְאִי הוּא יִתְרַפֵּי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, מַה כְּתִיב הִתְרַפִּיתָ. אִי אִיהוּ אִתְרַפֵּי מִן אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה, בְּיוֹמָא דְיֵיתֵי לֵיהּ עָקוּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל דָּחִיק לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִיהוּ חֵילָא דְעַלְמָא.
But if he relaxes his hold of the Torah, then, as it were, he presses hard the Shekinah, which is the strength of the world.
דָבָר אַחֵר צַר כֹּחֶכָה, תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבַר נָשׁ אִתְרַפֵּי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא וְאָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא דְלָא כַשְׁרָא, כַּמָּה בַּעֲלֵי דְבָבוּ זְמִינִין לֵיהּ לִמֶהֱוֵי לֵיהּ קַטֵּיגוֹרִין בְּיוֹמָא דְעָקוּ. וְאֲפִילּוּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ חֵילָא וְתוּקְפָא דִילֵיהּ אִיהוּ מָארֵי דְבָבוּ לְקֳבְלֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב צַר כֹּחֶכָה, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ צַר לְגַבֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבַר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאָרְחֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא וְכָל אָרְחוֹי מִתְתַּקְּנָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, כַּמָּה סָנֵיגוֹרִין קָיְימִין עֲלֵיהּ לְאַדְכָּרָא לֵיהּ לְטַב.
Again, when a man relaxes his hold of the Torah and walks in the wrong path, ever so many enemies are ready at hand to act as his accusers in the day of trouble, nay, even his own soul, which is his power and strength, turns against him, and becomes his enemy, so that it may be said of him “thy strength becomes an enemy” (zar=enemy, or straitened).’ Said R. Abba: ‘When a man follows the guidance of the Torah and walks in the straight path, many are the advocates that rise up to say a good word for him.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (איוב ל״ג:כ״ג-כ״ד) אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ וַיְחֻנְּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר. הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוּ, וְכִי לָא אִתְגְּלִי כֹּלָּא קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ צָרִיךְ לְמַלְאכָא דְּיֵימָא קַמֵּיהּ טַב אוֹ בִישׁ.
Thus we read: “If there be for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for man’s uprightness; then he is gracious unto him, and saith: Deliver him from the pit, I have found a ransom” (Job 33, 23, 24). These verses’, continued R. Abba, ‘present a difficulty. Is not everything revealed before God, that He should require an angel to point out to Him the good or bad that is found in a man,
אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ. דְּכַד אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ סַנֵּיגוֹרִין לְאַדְכָּרָא זְכוּ דִידֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִית לֵיהּ (לבר נש) קַטֵּיגוֹרִין, כְּדֵין וַיְחֻנְּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר.
so that only when a man has defenders on his side to recall his merits before Him, and no accusers, then He is gracious unto him, and saith: “Deliver him from going down into the pit, I have found a ransom”?
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַאי קְרָא תִּשְׁכַּח בְּרִירָא דְמִלָּה, כְּתִיב אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ, אִי לָא כְּתִיב יַתִּיר יָאוֹת הוּא. אֲבָל מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף כְּתִיב, וּמַאן אִיהוּ. דָּא הוּא מַלְאָךְ דִּמְמַנָּא עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים צ״א:ז׳) יִפֹּל מִצִּדְךָ אֶלֶף, וְדָא הוּא סִטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, דִּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ.
But the language of the text, if properly considered, contains the answer. For it would have sufficed to say: “If there be for him an angel”; who, then, is the “intercessor, one among a thousand”? It is one of the angels appointed to follow man on his left side. There are a thousand such, as it says, “A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand” (Ps. 91, 7).
אֲבָל אֶחָד מִנִּי אֶלֶף, דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ אֶחָד מֵאִנּוּן (דאיהו) אֶלֶף דְּהֲווּ לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק לְעֵילָא וְנָטִיל רְשׁוּ. וְעַל דָּא אִי בַר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע אִיהוּ עֶבֶד לוֹ. כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר דִּכְתִיב, (משלי י״ב:ט׳) טוֹב נִקְלֶה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ. כְּדֵין אִיהוּ סָלִיק וְאִתְעֲבִיד סַנֵּיגוֹרָא, וְאָמַר קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, זְכוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר, פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שָׁחַת.
Now “one among a thousand” is a designation of the evil prompter, who is the outstanding figure of the thousand on the left, since he is the one who ascends on high and obtains authorisation. Hence, if a man walks in the way of truth and the evil prompter becomes his servant, according to the words, “Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant” (Prov. 12, 9), then he ascends on high and becomes the man’s advocate, pleading his merits before God, whereupon God says: “Deliver him from going down into the pit.”
וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא אַהֲדַר בְּרֵיקַנְיָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ אָחֳרָא לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי וְלִיטּוֹל נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ. בְּגִין דְּאַקְדִּים חוֹבוֹי דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ וְאִיהוּ כֹּפֶר עַל הַאי. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מָצָאתִי כֹּפֶר, לְמִפְדֵי לֵיהּ.
Nevertheless, the evil prompter does not return empty-handed, since another man is delivered into his power, one whose sins he has already set forth, and this one is a ransom for the other man. This is what is meant by the words: “I (God) have found a compensation” (for thee, the accuser).
דָבָר אַחֵר מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר. הַהוּא זְכוּ דְּאֲמַרְתְּ אִיהוּ עֲלֵיהּ כֹּפֶר לְמִפְדֵי לֵיהּ דְּלָא יֵחוֹת לַגֵּיהִנֹּם וְלָא יְמוּת. וְעַל דָּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט וּבְגִין דִּיְהֵא לֵיהּ הַהוּא קַטֵּיגוֹרָא, סַנֵּיגוֹרָא.
According to another interpretation, the ransom consists in the merits of the man, through which he is freed from the pit and from death. It is therefore incumbent on a man to walk in the path of truth so that the accuser should be turned into his defender.
כְּגַוְונָא דָא יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי, דְּיַהֲבֵי לֵיהּ שָׂעִיר וְאִתְעַסִּיקוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ. עַד דְּאִתְהֲדַר עֶבֶד לְהוּ וְסָלִיק וְסָהִיד סַהֲדוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְעֲבִיד לְהוּ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר שְׁלמֹה, (משלי כ״ה:כ״א) אִם רָעֵב שׂנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לֶחֶם וְאִם צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מַיִם. וְעַל הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְּמָר.
A similar procedure is employed by Israel on the Day of Atonement, when they tender a he-goat to the evil prompter and so engage his attention until he ascends and gives testimony before the Almighty, in their favour. Thus Solomon says: “If thine adversary be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink” (Ibid. 25, 21), referring to the evil prompter.
וּבְגִין דָּא בְּיוֹם צָרָה, כַּד בַר נָשׁ אִתְרַפֵּי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, כִּבְיָכוֹל דָּחִיק לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעֲבִיד קַטֵּיגוֹרָא. צַר כֹּחֶכָה. צַר כֹּחַ כֹּ"ה, בְּגִין דְּאִתְקָרֵב קַמֵּיהּ לְקַטְרְגָא וְאִתְחַלַּשׁ חֵילָא.
תָּא חֲזֵי, טוֹב יְיָ לְמָעוֹז בְּיוֹם צָרָה, מַאי בְּיוֹם צָרָה. דָּא יַעֲקֹב כַּד אֲתָא עֲלֵיהּ עֵשָׂו לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ. וְיוֹדֵעַ חוֹסֵי בוֹ, כַּד אֲתָא עֲלֵיהּ עָקוּ דְדִינָא. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, לֵית מְקַטְרְגָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְסַכָּנָה.
The words: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble” apply to Jacob when Esau came forward to accuse him, and the words: “and he knoweth them that put their trust in him” were exemplified when the trouble of Dinah befell him. Observe that the accuser attacks a man only in time of danger;
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּיַעֲקֹב אַחַר נִדְרֵיהּ דְּנָדִיר קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִתְתַּקַּף דִּינָא עַל יְדָא דִּמְקַטְרְגָא דְּקַטְרִיג עֲלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, וּבָעָא דִינָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְסַכָּנָה דְּהֲוַת רָחֵל בָּהּ. אָמַר קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָא יַעֲקֹב נָדַר נִדְרֵיהּ וְלָא שָׁלִים, וְהָא אִיהוּ תַּקִּיף מִכֹּלָּא בְּעוּתְרָא וּבִבְנִין בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְלָא שָׁלִים נִדְרֵיהּ דְּנָדַר קַמָּךְ וְלָא נָסַבְתְּ עוֹנָשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ. מִיָּד וַתֵּלֶד רָחֵל וַתְּקַשׁ בְּלִדְתָּהּ. מַאי וַתְּקַשׁ. דְּאִתְקַשֵּׁי דִינָא לְעֵילָא גַּבֵּי מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת.
and so it was on account of Jacob having delayed to fulfill his vows which he had made to God that the accuser came forward against him, selecting the moment when Rachel’s life was in danger. “Behold,” he said, “Jacob has made vows and has not paid them; he has wealth and children and is short of nothing, yet he has not paid his vow that he made before Thee;
וְאִתְעַנַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב בְּהַאי. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב (משלי כ״ב:כ״ז) וְאִם אֵין לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם לָמָּה יִקַּח מִשְׁכָּבְךָ מִתַּחְתֶּיךָ. וְעַל דָּא מִיתַת רָחֵל וְאִתְמָסַר דִּינָא עַל יְדָא דְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת.
and Thou hast not punished him.” Then straightway “Rachel travailed and she had hard labour”, the term “hard” indicating that a severe doom was issued on high at the instigation of the angel of death.’ AND RACHEL DIED.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאֲתָא עֵשָׂו, מָה עֲבַד. וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְאֶת יַלְדֵיהֶן רִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֶת לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ אַחֲרוֹנִים וְאֶת רָחֵל וְאֶת יוֹסֵף אַחֲרוֹנִים. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּדָחִיל עֲלָה דְרָחֵל, דְּלָא יִסְתַּכַּל הַהוּא רָשָׁע בְּשַׁפִּירוּ דִילָהּ וְלָא יְקַטְרֵג לֵיהּ עֲלָהּ.
We have seen that Jacob, at the time Esau came up to him, put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. Why did he put Rachel hindermost? Because he feared that the wicked Esau might observe her beauty and assail him on account of her.
תוּ מַה כְּתִיב, וַתִּגַּשְׁנָה הַשְׁפָחוֹת הֵנָּה וְיַלְדֵיהֶן וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ וַתִּגַּשׁ גַּם לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ, נָשִׁין מִקַּמֵּי גוּבְרִין. אֲבָל בְּרָחֵל מַה כְּתִיב וְאַחַר נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל, וְיוֹסֵף מִקַּמֵי אִמֵּיהּ וְאִיהוּ חָפָּא עֲלָהּ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (בראשית מ״ט:כ״ב) בֶּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף בֶּן פּוֹרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן. דְּאַסְגֵי גוּפֵיהּ וְחָפָּא עַל אִמֵּיהּ. עֲלֵי עָיִן, עֲלֵי עֵינָא דְהַהוּא רָשָׁע.
It is written further: “Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed down. And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed down”, the females before the males. But in regard to Rachel it is written: “and after came Joseph near and Rachel”, that is, Joseph in front of his mother, so as to protect her.
וְהָכָא אִתְעֲנָשַׁת עַל יְדָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע דְּקִטְרֵג בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְסַכָּנָה, וְאִתְעַנַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב עַל נִדְרָא דְּלָא שָׁלִים, וְדָא קַשְׁיָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב מִכָּל עָקוּ דַּעֲבְרוּ עֲלֵיהּ. וּמְנָלָן דִּבְגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית מ״ח:ז׳) מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל. עָלַי וַדַּאי, עַל דְּאֲחָרִית נִדְרִי.
And here Rachel was punished at the hand of the evil prompter, who availed himself of the moment of danger and brought accusations against her; and Jacob was punished for not having paid his vow. Jacob felt this blow more acutely than all the other sufferings that befell him. That her death was due to him we learn from his words: “Rachel died upon me” (Gen. 48, 7), or, as we may translate, “on account of me”, i.e. through my not having paid my vows.
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כְּתִיב, (משלי כז) קִלְּלַת חִנָּם לֹא תָבֹא. וְאוּקְמוּהָ לוֹ בְּוי"ו, דְּאִי קִלְּלַת צַדִּיקָא הִיא, אֲפִילּוּ דְּלָא אִתְכַּוַּן בָּהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּנָפְקָא מִפּוּמֵיהּ נָטַל לָהּ הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע וְקִטְרֵג בָּהּ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְסַכָּנָה.
R. Jose said: ‘It is written: “the curse that is causeless shall come home” (Prov. 26, 2). This signifies that the curse of a righteous man, even if pronounced under a misapprehension, once uttered is caught up by the evil prompter to be used at a moment of danger.
יַעֲקֹב אָמַר, (בראשית ל״א:ל״ב) עִם אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶת אֱלֹהֶיךָ לא יִחְיֶה. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ לָא הֲוָה יָדַע, נָטִיל לָהּ לְהַהִיא מִלָּה הַהוּא שָׂטָן דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח גַּבַּיְיהוּ תָּדִיר בִּבְנִי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן, לְעוֹלָם לֹא יִפְתַּח בַּר נָשׁ פּוּמֵיהּ לְשִׂטְנָא, בְּגִין דְּנָטִיל הַהִיא מִלָּה וְקִטְרֵג בָּהּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִלָּה דְחָכָם אוֹ מִלָּה דְצַדִּיקָא, וְעַל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין אִתְעֲנָשַׁת רָחֵל:
Now Jacob said to Laban: “With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live” (Gen. 31, 32); and although he was unaware that it was Rachel who had stolen them, the Satan (adversary) who perpetually dogs the footsteps of the sons of men, seized on that utterance. Hence we are taught that a man should “never open his mouth for the Satan”, inasmuch as the latter is sure to take hold of his utterance and use it to bring accusations on high and below; all the more so if it is the utterance of a righteous man or a sage. These, then, were the true causes of Rachel’s death.’