Bava Batra 4A

אהדר ליה כלילא דיילי, נקרינהו לעיניה. יומא חד אתא ויתיב קמיה, אמר: חזי מר, האי עבדא בישא מאי קא עביד! אמר ליה: מאי אעביד ליה? אמר ליה: נלטייה מר! אמר ליה: כתיב ״גם במדעך, מלך אל תקלל״. אמר ליה: האי לאו מלך הוא! אמר ליה: וליהוי עשיר בעלמא, וכתיב: ״ובחדרי משכבך אל תקלל עשיר״; ולא יהא אלא נשיא, וכתיב: ״ונשיא בעמך לא תאר״.

Herod placed a garland made of porcupine hide on Bava ben Buta’s head, which pricked his eyes out. One day Herod came and sat before him without identifying himself in order to test him. He, Herod, said: See, Master, what this evil slave Herod is doing. Bava ben Buta said to him: What should I do to him? Herod said to him: The Master should curse him. Bava ben Buta said to him: But it is written: “Do not curse the king, not even in your thoughts” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). Herod said to him: He is not a king, since he rules illegally. Bava ben Buta said to him: And even if he were merely a rich man I would not curse him, as it is written: “And do not curse a rich person in your bedchamber” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). And even were he only a leader I would not curse him, as it is written: “And you should not curse a leader among your people” (Exodus 22:27).

אמר ליה: בעושה מעשה עמך, והאי לאו עושה מעשה עמך! אמר ליה: מסתפינא מיניה. אמר ליה: ליכא איניש דאזיל דלימא ליה, דאנא ואת יתיבנא. אמר ליה, כתיב: ״כי עוף השמים יוליך את הקול ובעל כנפים יגיד דבר״.

Herod said to him: That halakha stated with regard to “a leader among your people,” that is, to a fit Jew who acts as a member of your people, i.e., in accordance with Torah law, and this one does not do the deeds of your people. Bava ben Buta said to him: Nevertheless, I am afraid of him. Herod said to him: There is nobody who will go and tell him, since you and I are sitting here alone. Bava ben Buta said to him: Nevertheless, it is written: “For a bird of the sky should carry the sound, and that which has wings should tell the matter” (Ecclesiastes 10:20).