Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
The Talmud teaches that the Second Beit Ha-Mikdash was destroyed because people at the time hated each other for no good reason (Yoma 9b). This is called שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם (sin’at hinam). The Torah teaches us not to hate each other (Vayikra 19:17-18), and when people break this commandment it’s usually not for a very good reason..
In another place in the Talmud (Bavli Gittin 55a-58a), there’s a long collection of stories that provide more details about the events leading up to the destruction of the Beit Ha-Mikdash. Here’s one of these stories. It’s an example of the kind of sin’at hinam that led to the destruction.
The Story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza
אַקַּמְצָא וּבַר קַמְצָא חֲרוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם.
דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּרָחֲמֵיהּ קַמְצָא וּבְעֵל דְּבָבֵיהּ בַּר קַמְצָא.
עֲבַד סְעוֹדְתָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: זִיל אַיְיתִי לִי קַמְצָא. אֲזַל אַיְיתִי לֵיהּ בַּר קַמְצָא.
Yerushalayim was destroyed because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza.
There was a certain person who loved Kamtza and hated Bar Kamtza.
When that person made a party he told his servant, “Go and bring Kamtza.” The servant went and brought Bar Kamtza (by accident).
- Do you think Bar Kamtza was aware that the host didn’t like him? Do you think he felt the same way? If he did, why might he have gone to the party? What do you think Bar Kamtza was expecting or hoping would happen?
אֲתָא אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִכְּדֵי הָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּעֵל דְּבָבֵא דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא הוּא מַאי בָּעֵית הָכָא? קוּם פּוֹק.
When the host found Bar Kamtza sitting there (at the party) he said, “Since you’re my enemy, what are you doing here?! Get up and get out!!”
- The host must have lots of friends at the party. Why do you think he focuses on Bar Kamtza?
- How do you think Bar Kamtza is feeling in this moment? What do you think he’ll want to do? What would you do at this moment if something like this happened to you?
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הוֹאִיל וַאֲתַאי שִׁבְקַן וְיָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי מָה דְּאָכֵילְנָא וְשָׁתֵינָא.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי פַּלְגָא דִּסְעוֹדְתָּיךְ.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יָהֵיבְנָא לָךְ דְּמֵי כּוּלַּהּ סְעוֹדְתָּיךְ.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא.
נַקְטֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ וְאוֹקְמֵיהּ וְאַפְּקֵיהּ.
Bar Kamtza answered, “Since I am already here, let me stay and I will pay you for what I eat and drink.”
The host said, “No.”
Bar Kamtza said, “Let me pay for half of your party.”
The host said, “No.”
Bar Kamtza said, “Let me pay for your entire party.”
The host said, “No.”
He grabbed Bar Kamtza with his own hands, stood him up, and threw him out.
- Do you think Bar Kamtza is having fun, especially after being asked by the host to leave? So why doesn’t Bar Kamtza want to leave the party? How would it feel to be asked to leave? Why is staying at the party so important to Bar Kamtza?
- What do you think of Bar Kamtza’s offer to pay for his meal? Why is he even willing to go as far as paying for the whole party? Doesn’t that seem like a lot?!
- Why doesn't the host just say ok to Bar Kamtza's generous offer? What might the host be feeling?
אָמַר: הוֹאִיל וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי רַבָּנַן וְלָא מַחוֹ בֵּיהּ שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ קָא נִיחָא לְהוּ. אֵיזִיל אֵיכוֹל בְּהוּ קוּרְצָא בֵּי מַלְכָּא.
אֲזַל אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְקֵיסָר: מְרַדוּ בָּךְ יְהוּדָאֵי.
Bar Kamtza said: Since there were Rabbis sitting there and they did not stop the host, they must have approved of what he did. Now I will go try to get the government to destroy them.
He went to the Caesar (the king of the Romans) and said, “The Jews are rebelling against you.”
The story continues with the Caesar testing the Jews’ loyalty to him. Bar Kamtza makes sure they fail his test, and the story ends with the Caesar bringing the Roman army to destroy the Beit Ha-Mikdash.
- Do you think the rabbis actually agreed with the host? Why didn't they say something?
- What do you think of Bar Kamtza’s actions in the end? Did he overreact?
- What could every character in this story have done differently?
- Why do you think the Talmud tells this story? What are we supposed to learn from the tragedy of the destruction of the Beit Ha-Mikdash?
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