To the editor:

This is a retelling based on Talmud Gittin Chapter Five and Talmud Yoma Page Nine to commemorate the annual Jewish fast of the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, which will be on the night of Aug. 12 this year.

Rabbi Yochanon said, “Because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Jerusalem was destroyed.” 

A wealthy man prepared a large banquet and instructed his servant to invite his friend Kamtza. The servant made a mistake over the name and instead of inviting Kamtza, he invited the host’s hated enemy, Bar Kamtza. When the host recognized Bar Kamtza at the banquet, he ordered that he be thrown out. Bar Kamtza begged to stay so that he would not be humiliated before all the rabbis and dignitaries in the room. Bar Kamtza offered first to pay for whatever he would eat, then for half the banquet, then the whole banquet. The host refused each time. He became impatient, grabbed Bar Kamtza, and threw him out. Bar Kamtza said to himself, “since none of the rabbis at the banquet protested my disgrace, they must have wanted it. I will have revenge on all of them.” He told the Caesar, “The Jews are rebelling against you. Send them a sacrifice and see if they will offer it.” The Caesar sent Bar Kamtza a calf to offer at the Temple. On the way, Bar Kamtza inflicted a blemish in the calf choosing a place on the animal that makes it unfit for our sacrifices, but is not considered a blemish to them (the Romans). The sages said to sacrifice the defective animal for sholom malchut (peaceful relationship with the government). But Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkilas said to them, “People will say that we sacrifice blemished animals on the holy altar!” (He held that the violation could destroy credibility in the whole Temple institution). The sages thought a while and said,” We won’t sacrifice the defective calf and we will kill Bar Kamtza so that he cannot report back to the Caesar”. Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkilas said to them, “People will say that a person who inflicts a blemish in the Temple offering must be executed.” (Because of the intrigue, the reason behind the execution would be misunderstood and the Temple processes would become corrupted.) Nothing was done.

Rabbi Yochanon said: It was Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkilus’s words that destroyed our house (Temple) , burned our courtyard, and exiled us from our land. (Strong words — but he stopped short of calling Rabbi Zechariah an Orthodox fanatic.)

The historian, Josephus Flavius, was a Jewish general in the war against Rome that resulted in the destruction of the Temple. He recorded that when the Temple stopped the routine practice of sacrificing the emperor’s offerings, it officially marked Israel’s break from Rome and the start of the rebellion and the war.

According to tradition, both temples were destroyed on the ninth of Av (Babylonian destruction 586 BCE and Roman destruction 70 CE). The following is a retelling based on Talmud Yoma Page Nine that compares both destructions. 

The First Temple was destroyed because the generation committed idolatry, forbidden sexual relationships, and bloodshed. (These are sometimes called the Three Sins, because they are regarded as the three worst sins – with the exception of not going to college — I’m joking!) But the generation of the Second Temple occupied themselves with studying the Torah and fulfilling its commandments. So, why was the Second Temple destroyed? It was destroyed because they acted toward one another with sinat chinom (senseless hate). This teaches us that sinat chinom (senseless hate) is as serious as idolatry, adultery, and murder.

To me, the most moving words about the destruction of the Second Temple are words I heard from my Hebrew-school teacher. I cannot give his name because, if he is still alive, he must be very old, and the shock of learning that I actually paid close attention to some of the things that he said could kill him. I leave you with his words:

The Second Temple was destroyed because of sinat chinom (gratuitous hate), it will be rebuilt, may it be speedily and in our days, because of ahavat chinom (gratuitous love).

Hersh Goldman

Swampscott