Bava Metzia 108A

ואי לא ⁠– לא מיסתגי להו.

and if not, they will be unable to walk, but will have to cross over to the other side of the river. Therefore, no advantage exists to cutting down the trees that block part of the river.

רבה בר רב נחמן הוה קא אזיל בארבא, חזא ההוא אבא דקאי אגודא דנהרא. אמר להו: דמאן? אמרו ליה: דרבה בר רב הונא. אמר: ״ויד השרים והסגנים היתה במעל הזה ראשונה״. אמר להו: קוצו. קצו.

The Talmud cites a related incident: Rabba bar Rav Naḥman was going on a boat and saw a certain forest that was located right on the riverbank, as its trees had not been cut down to make room for the pullers. He said to those who were with him: To whom does this forest belong? They said to him: It belongs to Rabba bar Rav Huna. Rabba bar Rav Naḥman said: This is reminiscent of the verse: “And the hand of the princes and the rulers has been first in this faithlessness” (Ezra 9:2), because a renowned scholar is acting improperly. Rabba bar Rav Naḥman said to them: Cut down, cut down to clear a path.

אתא רבה בר רב הונא אשכחיה דקייץ, אמר: מאן קצייה ⁠– תקוץ ענפיה. אמרי כולהו שני דרבה בר רב הונא, לא אקיים ליה זרעא לרבה בר רב נחמן.

Rabba bar Rav Huna arrived and found that his forest had been cut down. Since he was within his rights not to cut down his trees, as explained above, he grew angry and pronounced a curse: He who cut down this forest should have his branches cut down. The rabbis said: Although he was unaware of the identity of the perpetrator, the Sage’s curse was nevertheless fulfilled, and consequently all the remaining years that Rabba bar Rav Huna was alive, the seed of Rabba bar Rav Naḥman did not last, as his children, his branches, died in his lifetime.