Kohelet Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes, tackles this idea head-on with the verse: "If the spirit of the ruler comes upon you, do not forsake your place" (Ecclesiastes 10:4). But what does that mean? It's not just about physical location, but about your character. The Midrash interprets this as a warning: when you gain power or dominion, do not forsake humility.
Why? Because, the text tells us, forsaking humility "causes death to his world and sin to his generation." Strong words. Where do we learn this? From the story of Zekharia.
According to II (Chronicles 24:20), "The spirit of God clothed Zekharia…and he stood above the people." Now, did he literally stand above them? No. The Midrash explains that Zekharia, who was a son-in-law of the king (actually, grandson), a priest, a prophet, and a judge, became arrogant. He thought he was better than everyone else. He began to speak arrogantly, reprimanding the people: "Why are you violating the mitzvot (commandments) of the Lord?" (II (Chronicles 24:2)0).
And what happened? "They conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king [in the courtyard of the house of the Lord]" (II (Chronicles 24:2)1). A brutal end, brought about by his hubris.
But the story doesn’t end there. Rabbi Yudan asks Rabbi Aḥa where exactly this happened, not in the Israelite Courtyard or the Women’s Courtyard, but in the Priests’ Courtyard. And something strange happened with Zekharia's blood. Unlike the blood of animals, which is to be covered, Zekharia's blood remained exposed, seething, crying out for vengeance, as (Ezekiel 24:8) says, "to arouse fury and to take vengeance."
The story continues. When Nevuzaradan, the Babylonian general who destroyed Jerusalem (II (Kings 25:8)–22), arrived, he saw the seething blood. He demanded to know what it was. At first, the people lied, saying it was from sacrifices. But when the blood wouldn't stop, they confessed: it was the blood of Zekharia, a prophet they had killed for rebuking them.
Nevuzaradan, in a twisted attempt to appease the blood, slaughtered the Great Sanhedrin, the lesser Sanhedrin, young priests, even schoolchildren, onto the blood. But nothing worked until he asked the blood, "Zekharia, I have eliminated the best of your people. Would you like all of them to be eliminated?" Only then did the blood finally rest.
The story takes another turn: Nevuzaradan, horrified by what he had done, contemplated repentance. He realized the gravity of taking even one life, let alone so many. At that moment, God had mercy, and the blood was absorbed into the ground.
Rabbi Yudan points out that the Israelites committed seven transgressions in killing Zekharia: killing a priest, a prophet, and a judge; spilling innocent blood; desecrating the Temple Courtyard; and doing all this on Shabbat (the Sabbath) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)!
The Midrash then contrasts Zekharia with Yaḥaziyel, another prophet. Even though "the spirit of the Lord was upon him in the midst of the assembly" (II (Chronicles 20:1)4), he remained humble, likening himself to the assembly.
The Midrash offers other examples, interpreting the verse about the spirit of the ruler in the context of Noah, who entered and exited the ark with God's permission (Genesis 7:1, 8:16); Joshua, who led the Israelites across the Jordan and back only with divine command (Joshua 1:11, 4:17); David, who remained humble even after becoming king (I (Samuel 17:14), I Chronicles 28:2); and Mordekhai, who returned to his humble post at the king's gate even after his moment of glory ((Esther 2:19), 6:12).
So, what’s the takeaway? It's a powerful reminder that true greatness lies not in power or status, but in humility. It's about remembering where we came from, and not letting success change us for the worse. Because as the story of Zekharia shows, arrogance can have devastating consequences. It’s a lesson that resonates just as strongly today as it did centuries ago.
“If the spirit of the ruler comes upon you, do not forsake your place, as in its abating he will pardon great sins” (Ecclesiastes 10:4). “If the spirit of the ruler comes upon you, do not forsake your place” – when dominion comes to you, do not forsake your attribute of humility, to teach you that anyone who forsakes his humility causes death to his world and sin to his generation. From whom do you learn this? From Zekharia, as it is stated: “The spirit of God clothed Zekharia….and he stood above the people” (II Chronicles 24:20). Did he, in fact, walk above the people? It is, rather, that he considered himself greater than all the people; son-in-law of the king,10He was actually the grandson, the son of the son-in-law, of King Yehoram. He was also a cousin to King Yoash, who was king of Judah at the time of this event. priest, prophet, and judge. He began speaking arrogantly to the people, and saying to them: “Why are you violating the mitzvot of the Lord so that you will not succeed?” (II Chronicles 24:20). Immediately, “they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king [in the courtyard of the house of the Lord]” (II Chronicles 24:21). Rabbi Yudan asked Rabbi Aḥa: Where did they kill Zekharia, in the Israelite Courtyard or in the Women’s Courtyard? [Rabbi Aḥa] said to him: Neither in the Israelite Courtyard nor in the Women’s Courtyard, but rather in the Priests’ Courtyard. They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle or the blood of a deer. Regarding the blood of a gazelle and a deer whose blood has been spilled, it is written: “You shall spill its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13), but this righteous one [Zekharia], they did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle and not like the blood of a deer. Why [did God allow them to be wicked] to such an extent? It was “to arouse fury and to take vengeance” (Ezekiel 24:8). You find that when Nevuzaradan11Nevuzaradan was the officer who led the Babylonian troops in sacking Jerusalem and destroying the Temple (see II Kings 25:8–22). ascended to destroy Jerusalem, the Holy One blessed be He indicated to that blood that it should seethe. He said to it:12The Holy One blessed be He said to the blood. This is the time that you will collect your debt. [Nevuzaradan] said to them: ‘What is the nature of this blood?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls, rams, and sheep that we were sacrificing to the Holy One blessed be He.’ Immediately, he brought bulls, rams, and sheep and slaughtered many of them onto it, but it did not stop. He said to them: ‘If you tell me, fine. But if not, I will comb the flesh of these people with a comb of iron,’ but [at first] they did not say. Once he [again] said to them that [their explanation] was not [true], they said to him: ‘Why should we conceal it from you? We had a prophet, a priest, who would reprimand us in the name of Heaven. [He said to us]: Accept it, but we did not accept it from him. Rather, we rose against him and killed him.’ [Nevuzaradan] said to them: ‘I will assuage it.’ He then brought the Great Sanhedrin and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. He slaughtered the lesser Sanhedrin onto it, but it did not rest. He brought young priests and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. He slaughtered schoolchildren onto it, but it did not rest. He said to [the seething blood]: ‘Zekharia, I have eliminated the best of your people. Would you like all of them to be eliminated?’ Immediately, it rested. That wicked one contemplated repentance, and said: ‘One who eliminates a single Israelite soul, it is written in his regard: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, his blood will be spilled by man” (Genesis 9:6); this man13Nevuzaradan was referring to himself. who eliminated many souls, all the more so.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He became filled with mercy, and He intimated to the blood, and it was absorbed in its place. Rabbi Yudan said: [The Israelites] performed seven transgressions [via one act] on that day:14When they killed Zekharia. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, they spilled innocent blood, they impurified the Temple Courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.15Killing is a prohibited labor on these days, as well as a profound violation of the sanctity of the day. But Yaḥaziyel did not do so;16He did not become haughty when he achieved an elevated status. rather, “Yaḥaziyel, son of Zekharia, son of Benaya, son of Yaḥaziyel, son of Matanya the Levite, from the sons of Asaf, the spirit of the Lord was upon him in the midst of the assembly” (II Chronicles 20:14). What is “in the midst of the assembly”? It is that he likened himself to the assembly. Another matter: “If the spirit of the ruler comes upon you,” is speaking of Noah.17The midrash interprets the verse to refer to a ruler issuing a command to you. If he commands you to be in a certain place, do not forsake that place without another official command. He entered the ark with permission and he emerged with permission. From where [is it derived] that he entered with permission? [It is from the verse:] “Come you and all your household to the ark” (Genesis 7:1). From where [is it derived] that he emerged with permission? [It is from the verse:] “Go out of the ark, you …” (Genesis 8:16). Another matter: “If the spirit of the ruler comes upon you,” is speaking of Joshua. Just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan with permission, so too they emerged only with permission. From where [is it derived that] they crossed with permission? As it is stated: “Pass through the midst of the camp…[in another three days you are crossing this Jordan]” (Joshua 1:11). They emerged with permission, as it is stated: “Joshua commanded the priests saying: Emerge from the Jordan” (Joshua 4:17). Another matter: “If the spirit of the ruler…” is speaking of David. Before he reigned, “David is the youngest” (I Samuel 17:14). When he reigned, “King David stood on his feet [and said: Hear me my brethren]” (I Chronicles 28:2).18He remained humble even after he assumed the throne. Another matter: “If the spirit of the ruler…” is speaking of Mordekhai. Before prominence came to him, “Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 2:19). When prominence came to him, “Mordekhai returned to the king’s gate” (Esther 6:12).19This indicates that Mordekhai did not become haughty due to his prominence.
