Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:26

¹“I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, her hands, shackles. One who is good before God will escape from her, but a sinner will be captured by her” (Ecclesiastes 7:26). “I find more bitter than death, the woman…” The Rabbis say: Because she demands from him things that he is unable to live up to, ultimately, she causes him to die a bitter death. There was an incident involving a certain person who had a neighbor who was a robber, who would go out and attack at night, and sustain his sons and daughters during the day. The wife of that person said to him: ‘How unfortunate is that woman who has adhered to you.’ She said to him: ‘Do you see the children of our neighbor, how they eat and drink?’ He said to her: ‘Do you want me to do what he does?’ She said to him: ‘What is wrong with that?’ He said to her: ‘Come with me to convince him [to let] me go with him.’ They went and convinced him, and he took him with him. They went out that night, and another robber went out and set an ambush after them. This one, who was familiar with the roads, fled and was spared, and that one, who was not familiar with the paths, was captured and hanged. They proclaimed in his regard: ‘Last of the robbers, first of the hanged.’ ²There are three matters that are harmful to the body: An affliction of the heart is harmful to the body; an affliction due to intestinal illness is more harmful to the body than affliction of the heart; and poverty is more harmful than any of them. Rabbi Yehuda said: There are fourteen things, one more powerful than the next, and each one dominates the next. The depths are powerful, but the earth dominates it because it is flattened over it. The earth is powerful, but the powerful mountains dominate it. The mountain is powerful, but iron dominates and shatters it. Iron is powerful, but fire melts it. Fire is powerful, but water dominates it and douses it. Water is powerful, but the clouds carry it. Clouds are powerful, but the wind scatters them. The wind is powerful, but the wall dominates and withstands it. A wall is powerful, but a person dominates and demolishes it. A person is powerful, but trouble frightens him. Trouble is powerful, but wine dominates and causes it to be forgotten. Wine is powerful, but sleep abates it. Sleep is powerful, but illness dominates and interrupts it. Illness is powerful, but the angel of death dominates it and takes his life. And an evil woman is more powerful than all of them. ³“Whose [heart] is snares and nets” – as she traps in the sea and on dry land. “Her hands, shackles,” Rabbi Elazar said: Had he not written in her regard: “Her hands, shackles,” she would seize a man in the marketplace and say: ‘Have relations with me.’ This is analogous to a biting dog whose owner holds it on a chain; even though it is tied, it would grasp onto a person in the marketplace by his clothes. So, had he not written in her regard: “Her hands, shackles,” she would abduct a person in the marketplace. See what is written: “She seized him by his garments, saying: Lie with me” (Genesis 39:12). “One who is good before God will escape from her” – this is Joseph; “but the sinner will be captured by her” – this is Potifar. Alternatively, “good” – this is Pinḥas, “but the sinner” – this is Zimri. Alternatively, “good” – this is Palti, “but the sinner” – this is Amnon. Rabbi Isi of Caesarea interpreted the verse regarding heresy. “Good” – this is Rabbi Elazar, “but a sinner” – this is Yaakov of the village of Nevurya. Alternatively, “good” – this is Elazar ben Dama, “but a sinner” – this is Yaakov of the village of Sama. 1:8 for a story pertaining to Elazar ben Dama and Yaakov of Sikhanya, who some commentaries equate with the Yaakov of Sama mentioned here. The midrash there also mentions the other individuals identified here as good or as heretics. Alternatively, “good” – this is Ḥananya, son of Rabbi Yehoshua’s brother, “but a sinner” – these are the residents of the village of Naḥum. 1:8. Alternatively, “good” – this is Yehuda ben Nekosa, “but a sinner” – these are the heretics. Alternatively, “good” – this is Rabbi Natan, “but a sinner” – this is his disciple. Alternatively, “good” – this is Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, “but a sinner” – this is Elisha.