Rav Ashi said about Ameimar, "what if he dies" and somehow this statement precipitates Ameimar's death. Isn't the idea of "al tiftach peh" and "lashon tov" (from Gemara Pesachim) priniciples that Rav Ashi should know? How could he make such a mistake?
Menachem Weiman, St. Louis, MO USA
1) The Maharsha Moed Katan 18a compares the idea mentioned here in the Gemara "like an error which proceeds from a ruler", to the concept of "Nibei v'Eino Yodea Mah Niba"; "he prophesied but did not know what he was prophesying", described by Rashi Bereshit 22:5, when Avraham said "we will bow down and return to you". According to this Rav Ashi did not cause Ameimar's death, but rather unknowingly foresaw it.
2) We find elsewhere also that Tanaim achieved Nevuah. In Kidushin 72a we learn that Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi saw things at the time of his death. Rashi DH Ki Ka writes that "Nizreka Nevuah b'Piv", a prophecy was thrown into his mouth. Prophecy did not generally speaking exist after the early years of the Second Temple period, but it did sometimes happen even though not fully intentionally.
3) This is explained more in Sanhedrin 11a. After Chagi Zecharia and Malachi died, Ruach Hakodesh left Yisrael, but there were still events of Nevuah, as was seen when Shmuel Hakatan passed way.
4) According to the aforementioned Maharsha we see that the Amoraim were also capbable of Nevuah even though they may not have been aware of it, and this could hold true for Rav Ashi also, who lived at the end of the Talmudic period.
Chodesh Tov
Dovid Bloom