Sarai said to Avram: The wrong done me is upon you. I gave my maid into your bosom; when she saw that she had conceived, I became lowered in her eyes. May Hashem judge between me and you.
English of Core Text: R. Chanan said: whoever hands a judgment over his fellow [to Heaven] is punished first, as it is said “May Hashem judge between me and you,” and it is written “Avraham came to eulogize Sarah.”
On the daf / in context: Sarah’s appeal to divine judgment is linked to her earlier death relative to Avraham; the principle is limited to cases where earthly courts are available.
Type of Learning
Custom
What Is Learned
Invoking Heaven against a fellow when human judgment is possible carries a cost for the invoker.