Avos 1:10-11

Avos 1:10

Shemaiah and Avtalyon received the Torah from Yehuda ben Tabai and Shimon ben Shetach. Shemaiah said to love work, hate having authority, and not seek to curry favor with those in positions of power.

Avos 1:11

Avtalyon said that Sages must be careful with their words or risk being exiled to a place of metaphorical “evil waters” (i.e., a place of no Torah and no reverence for God). Their students will drink these “evil waters” and die (spiritually speaking), leading to a desecration of God’s Name.