The mishna relates that the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya would go out on Shabbat with a strap between its horns, contrary to the will of the Sages. The Gemara asks: Did Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya have only one cow? Didn’t Rav say, and some say that Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya would tithe from his herds 12,000 calves each and every year? There were 120, 000 calves born in his herds annually. There is no way, then, to speak of the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.

The Gemara answers: It was taught in the Tosefta: The cow was not his; rather, it was his neighbor’s. And because he did not protest her conduct and tell her that doing so is prohibited the cow was called by his name to his discredit, as if it were his.

It was related that Rav, and Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Yoḥanan, and Rav Ḥaviva taught the statement cited below. [...] they said:

Anyone who had the possibility to protest the transgressions of the members of their household and did not protest, they are held responsible for the transgressions of the members of their household. Among the people of their city - , they are held responsible for the people of their city. Within the whole world entire, - they are held responsible for the whole world entire.

As indicated by that which Rabbi Ḥanina said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The Lord will enter into judgment with the Elders of His people and its princes, saying: It is you who have eaten up the vineyard; the robbery of the poor is in your houses” (Isaiah 3:14)? The question arises: If the princes sinned by committing robbery,

what did the Elders, i.e., the Sages of that generation, do that was considered a sin? Rather, say: God will enter into judgment with the Elders because they did not protest the sinful conduct of the princes.

Anyone who had the possibility to protest the transgressions of the members of their household and did not protest, - they are held responsible for the transgressions of the members of their household.

Among the people of their city - , they are held responsible for the people of their city.

Within the whole world entire, - they are held responsible for the whole world entire.

With regard to the issue of reprimand, it was related that Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Simon: Let the Master [R.Simon] reprimand the members of the house of the Exilarch[the head of the Jewish community in Mesopotamia], as Rabbi Simon had some influence over them. Rabbi Simon said to him: They will not accept reprimand from me. Rabbi Zeira said to him: Let my master reprimand them even if they do not accept it.

The Holy One, Blessed be They, said to the angel Gabriel: Go and inscribe a tav of ink on the foreheads of the righteous as a sign so that the angels of destruction will not have dominion over them. And inscribe a tav of blood on the foreheads of the wicked as a sign so that the angels of destruction will have dominion over them.

The attribute of justice said before the Holy One, Blessed be They: Master of the Universe, how are these different from those? They said to that attribute: These are full-fledged righteous people and those are full-fledged wicked people. The attribute of justice said to Them: Master of the Universe, it was in the hands of the righteous to protest the conduct of the wicked, and they did not protest.

The Holy One said to that attribute: It is revealed and known before Me that even had they protested the conduct of the wicked, they would not have accepted the reprimand from them. They would have continued in their wicked ways. The attribute of justice said before Them: Master of the Universe, if it is revealed before You that their reprimand would have been ineffective, is it revealed to them? The Holy One, Blessed be They, retracted Their promise to protect the righteous and decided that those who failed to protest would also be punished.