עַל כָּל צָרָה שֶׁלֹּא תָבֹא עַל הַצִּבּוּר, מַתְרִיעִין עֲלֵיהֶן, חוּץ מֵרוֹב גְּשָׁמִים. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל, הִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים. אָמַר לָהֶם, צְאוּ וְהַכְנִיסוּ תַנּוּרֵי פְסָחִים, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא יִמּוֹקוּ. הִתְפַּלֵּל, וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים. מֶה עָשָׂה, עָג עוּגָה וְעָמַד בְּתוֹכָהּ, וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בָּנֶיךָ שָׂמוּ פְנֵיהֶם עָלַי, שֶׁאֲנִי כְבֶן בַּיִת לְפָנֶיךָ. נִשְׁבָּע אֲנִי בְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן, עַד שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עַל בָּנֶיךָ. הִתְחִילוּ גְּשָׁמִים מְנַטְּפִין. אָמַר, לֹא כָךְ שָׁאַלְתִּי, אֶלָּא גִּשְׁמֵי בוֹרוֹת שִׁיחִין וּמְעָרוֹת. הִתְחִילוּ לֵירֵד בְּזָעַף. אָמַר, לֹא כָךְ שָׁאַלְתִּי, אֶלָּא גִּשְׁמֵי רָצוֹן, בְּרָכָה וּנְדָבָה. יָרְדוּ כְתִקְנָן, עַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִירוּשָׁלַיִם לְהַר הַבַּיִת מִפְּנֵי הַגְּשָׁמִים...שָׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטָח, אִלְמָלֵא חוֹנִי אַתָּה, גּוֹזְרַנִי עָלֶיךָ נִדּוּי. אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְּךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְחַטֵּא לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְעוֹשֶׂה לְךָ רְצוֹנְךָ כְּבֵן שֶׁהוּא מִתְחַטֵּא עַל אָבִיו וְעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ רְצוֹנוֹ...
The mishna adds: In general, they cry out on account of any trouble that should not befall the community, a euphemism for trouble that may befall the community, except for an overabundance of rain. Although too much rain may be disastrous, one does not cry out over it, because rain is a sign of a blessing. The mishna relates: An incident occurred in which the people said to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: Pray that rain should fall. He said to them: Go out and bring in the clay ovens used to roast the Paschal lambs, so that they will not dissolve in the water, as torrential rains are certain to fall. He prayed, and no rain fell at all. What did he do? He drew a circle on the ground and stood inside it and said before God: Master of the Universe, Your children have turned their faces toward me, as I am like a member of Your household. Therefore, I take an oath by Your great name that I will not move from here until You have mercy upon Your children and answer their prayers for rain. Rain began to trickle down, but only in small droplets. He said: I did not ask for this, but for rain to fill the cisterns, ditches, and caves with enough water to last the entire year. Rain began to fall furiously. He said: I did not ask for this damaging rain either, but for rain of benevolence, blessing, and generosity. Subsequently, the rains fell in their standard manner but continued unabated, filling the city with water until all of the Jews exited the residential areas of Jerusalem and went to the Temple Mount due to the rain...Shimon ben Shetaḥ, the Nasi of the Sanhedrin at the time, relayed to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: Were you not Ḥoni, I would have decreed that you be ostracized, but what can I do to you? You nag [mitḥatei] God and He does your bidding, like a son who nags his father and his father does his bidding without reprimand. After all, rain fell as you requested...
A slightly expanded version of the story appears in Bavli Taanis 23a
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל יָמָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק, הָיָה מִצְטַעֵר עַל מִקְרָא זֶה: ״שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת בְּשׁוּב ה׳ אֶת שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הָיִינוּ כְּחֹלְמִים״, אָמַר: מִי אִיכָּא דְּנָיֵים שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין בְּחֶלְמָא? יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזֵל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה נָטַע חָרוּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי, עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיֵית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין? אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַאי גַּבְרָא: עָלְמָא בְּחָרוּבָא אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ. כִּי הֵיכִי דִּשְׁתַלוּ לִי אֲבָהָתִי — שְׁתַלִי נָמֵי לִבְרָאִי. יָתֵיב, קָא כָּרֵיךְ רִיפְתָּא, אֲתַאי לֵיהּ שִׁינְתָּא, נִים. אַהְדַּרָא לֵיהּ מְשּׁוּנִּיתָא, אִיכַּסִּי מֵעֵינָא, וְנִים שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. כִּי קָם, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּהוּא קָא מְלַקֵּט מִינַּיְיהוּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ הוּא דִּשְׁתַלְתֵּיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר בְּרֵיהּ אֲנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דִּנְיַימִי שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. חֲזָא לַחֲמָרְ[תֵּ]יהּ דְּאִתְיְילִידָא לַיהּ רַמְכֵי רַמְכֵי. אֲזַל לְבֵיתֵיהּ אֲמַר לְהוּ: בְּרֵיהּ דְּחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל מִי קַיָּים? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בְּרֵיהּ לֵיתֵאּ, בַּר בְּרֵיהּ אִיתֵאּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל. לָא הֵימְנוּהוּ. אֲזַל לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, שַׁמְעִינְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן דְּקָאָמְרִי: נְהִירָן שְׁמַעְתָּתִין כְּבִשְׁנֵי חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל, דְּכִי הָוֵי עָיֵיל לְבֵית מִדְרְשָׁא — כֹּל קוּשְׁיָא דַּהֲווֹ לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן הֲוָה מְפָרֵק לְהוּ. אָמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא נִיהוּ, וְלָא הֵימְנוּהוּ, וְלָא עָבְדִי לֵיהּ יְקָרָא כִּדְמִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ. חֲלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי, וּמִית. אָמַר רָבָא: הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: אוֹ חַבְרוּתָא אוֹ מִיתוּתָא.
§ The Gemara relates another story about Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All the days of the life of that righteous man, Ḥoni, he was distressed over the meaning of this verse: “A song of Ascents: When the Lord brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream” (Psalms 126:1). He said to himself: Is there really a person who can sleep and dream for seventy years? How is it possible to compare the seventy-year exile in Babylonia to a dream? One day, he was walking along the road when he saw a certain man planting a carob tree. Ḥoni said to him: This tree, after how many years will it bear fruit? The man said to him: It will not produce fruit until seventy years have passed. Ḥoni said to him: Is it obvious to you that you will live seventy years, that you expect to benefit from this tree? He said to him: That man himself found a world full of carob trees. Just as my ancestors planted for me, I too am planting for my descendants. Ḥoni sat and ate bread. Sleep overcame him and he slept. A cliff formed around him, and he disappeared from sight and slept for seventy years. When he awoke, he saw a certain man gathering carobs from that tree. Ḥoni said to him: Are you the one who planted this tree? The man said to him: I am his son’s son. Ḥoni said to him: I can learn from this that I have slept for seventy years, and indeed he saw that his donkey had sired several herds during those many years. Ḥoni went home and said to the members of the household: Is the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel alive? They said to him: His son is no longer with us, but his son’s son is alive. He said to them: I am Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. They did not believe him. He went to the study hall, where he heard the Sages say about one scholar: His halakhot are as enlightening and as clear as in the years of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel, for when Ḥoni HaMe’aggel would enter the study hall he would resolve for the Sages any difficulty they had. Ḥoni said to them: I am he, but they did not believe him and did not pay him proper respect. Ḥoni became very upset, prayed for mercy, and died. Rava said: This explains the folk saying that people say: Either friendship or death, as one who has no friends is better off dead.
A very similar account is given in Midrash Tehilim 126 which ends היינו דאמרי אינשי או חבריא כחברי דאיוב או מתותא
אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן גֵּירִיָּא. הָדֵין חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל בַּר בְּרִיהּ דְּחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל הֲוָה סְמִיךְ לְחָרְבַּן בֵּית מוּקְדְּשָׁא. נְפַק לְטוּרָא לְגַבֵּי פָעֲלֵיי. עַד דּוּ תַמָּן נְחַת מִיטְרָא. עָאַל לֵיהּ לִמְעַרְתָּא. מִן יְתִיב נָם וּדְמָךְ לֵיהּ. וַעֲבַד שְׁקִיעַ בְּשִׁינְתֵּיהּ שׁוּבְעִין שְׁנִין עַד דַּחֲרַב בֵּית מוּקְדְּשָׁא וְאִיתְבְּנִי זְמַן תִּינְייָנוּת. לְסוֹף שׁוּבְעִין שְׁנִין אִיתְעַר מִן שִׁינְתֵּיהּ. נְפַק לֵיהּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא וַחֲמָא עָֽלְמָא מֻחְלַף. זָווִי דַהֲווָת כְּרָמִין עֲבִידָא זֵייתִין. זָווִיי דַהֲווָת זֵייתִין עֲבִידָא זַרְעוּ. שְׁאַל לֵיהּ לִמְדִינָתָּא. אֲמַר לוֹן. מָה קָלָא בָעָֽלְמָא? אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. וְלֵית אַתְּ יְדַע מָה קָלָא בָעָֽלְמָא? אֲמַר לוֹן. לֹא. אָֽמְרִין לֵיהּ. מָאן אַתְּ? אֲמַר לוֹן. חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל. אָֽמְרוּן לֵיהּ. שְׁמַעְנָן דַּהֲוָה עֲלִיל לָעֲזָרָה וְהִיא מִנְהָרָה. עָאַל וְאַנָהָרַת. וְקָרָא עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּשׁ֣וּב י֙י אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחוֹלְמִים׃
Rebbi Yudan son of proselytes said, this Onias the circle drawer was the grandson of Onias the circle-drawer {who lived} close to the destruction of the Temple. He went to a mountain to his workers. While he was there, rain fell. He went to a cave; when he was sitting down he slumbered and fell asleep. He stayed in his sleep for 70 years, while the Temple was destroyed and rebuilt. At the end of 70 years he awoke from his sleep. He left the cave and found the world changed. At a place where there had been vineyards were olive trees. At a place were there had been olive trees was a field. He asked about the province, and said to them, what is news in the world? They answered him, do you not know what is news in the world? He said, no. They asked him, who are you? He answered them, Onias the circle-drawer. They told him, we heard that when he entered the Temple courtyard it lit up. He went there and it lit up. He recited about himself, when the Eternal leads back the return of Zion we were like sleepers.
(ז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֡ע עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אִ֣ישׁ סָרִ֗יס וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־נָתְנ֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (ח) וַיֵּצֵ֥א עֶבֶד־מֶ֖לֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ט) אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הֵרֵ֜עוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיָּ֤מׇת תַּחְתָּיו֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָרָעָ֔ב כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַלֶּ֛חֶם ע֖וֹד בָּעִֽיר׃ (י) וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֛ת עֶבֶד־מֶ֥לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֤ מִזֶּה֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֧הוּ הַנָּבִ֛יא מִן־הַבּ֖וֹר בְּטֶ֥רֶם יָמֽוּת׃ (יא) וַיִּקַּ֣ח ׀ עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיָּבֹ֤א בֵית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָאוֹצָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ בְּלוֹיֵ֣ (הסחבות) [סְחָב֔וֹת] וּבְלוֹיֵ֖ מְלָחִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧ם אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֖וֹר בַּחֲבָלִֽים׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שִׂ֣ים נָ֠א בְּלוֹאֵ֨י הַסְּחָב֤וֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים֙ תַּ֚חַת אַצִּל֣וֹת יָדֶ֔יךָ מִתַּ֖חַת לַחֲבָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ כֵּֽן׃ (יג) וַיִּמְשְׁכ֤וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ בַּחֲבָלִ֔ים וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ בַּחֲצַ֖ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃ {ס}
(7) Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch who was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit. The king was then sitting at the Benjamin Gate; (8) so Ebed-melech left the king’s palace, and spoke to the king: (9) “O lord king, those men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah; they have put him down in the pit, to die there of hunger.” For there was no more bread in the city. (10) Then the king instructed Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take with you thirty men from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the pit before he dies.” (11) So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the treasury. There they got worn cloths and rags, which they let down to Jeremiah in the pit by ropes. (12) And Ebed-melech the Cushite called to Jeremiah, “Put the worn cloths and rags under your armpits, inside the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, (13) and they pulled Jeremiah up by the ropes and got him out of the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the prison compound.
And Jeremiah spoke, saying, "I implore you, LORD, show me what I should do for Abimelech the Ethiopian, for he did many good deeds for your servant Jeremiah: For he pulled me out of the muddy cistern, and I do not want him to see the destruction of this city and (its) desolation, but that you may show him mercy and that he might not be grieved."
...Abimelech took the figs in the burning heat; and coming upon a tree, he sat under its shade to rest a bit. And leaning his head on the basket of figs, he fell asleep and slept for 66 years; and he was not awakened from his slumber. And afterward, when he awoke from his sleep, he said: I slept sweetly for a little while, but my head is heavy because I did not get enough sleep. Then he uncovered the basket of figs and found them dripping milk...he got up and took the basket of figs and placed it on his shoulders, and he entered into Jerusalem and did not recognize it — neither his own house, nor the place — nor did he find his own family or any of his acquaintances. And he said: The Lord be blessed, for a great trance has come over me today! This is not the city Jerusalem....And again he returned to the city and searched, and found no one of his own people; and he said: The Lord be blessed, for a great trance has come over me! And again he departed from the city, and he stayed there grieving, not knowing where he should go...as he sat, he saw an old man coming from the field; and Abimelech said to him: I say to you, old man, what city is this? And he said to him: It is Jerusalem. And Abimelech said to him: Where is Jeremiah...and all the people of this city, for I could not find them? And the old man said to him: Are you not from this city, seeing that you remember Jeremiah today, because you are asking about him after such a long time? For Jeremiah is in Babylon with the people; for they were taken captive by king Nebuchadnezzar, and Jeremiah is with them...As soon as Abimelech heard this from the old man, he said: If you were not an old man, and if it were not for the fact that it is not lawful for a man to upbraid one older than himself, I would laugh at you and say that you are out of your mind — since you say that the people have been taken captive into Babylon. Even if the heavenly torrents had descended on them, there has not yet been time for them to go into Babylon! For how much time has passed since my father...sent me to the estate of Agrippa to bring a few figs, so that I might give them to the sick among the people? And I went and got them, and when I came to a certain tree in the burning heat, I sat to rest a little; and I leaned my head on the basket and fell asleep. And when I awoke I uncovered the basket of figs, supposing that I was late; and I found the figs dripping milk, just as I had collected them...And when the old man saw them, he said: O my son, you are a righteous man, and God did not want you to see the desolation of the city, so he brought this trance upon you. For behold it is 66 years today since the people were taken captive into Babylon...
[109] Epimenides...was a native of...Crete...One day he was sent into the country by his father to look for a stray sheep, and at noon he turned aside out of the way, and went to sleep in a cave, where he slept for fifty-seven years. After this he got up and went in search of the sheep, thinking he had been asleep only a short time. And when he could not find it, he came to the farm, and found everything changed and another owner in possession. Then he went back to the town in utter perplexity; and there, on entering his own house, he fell in with people who wanted to know who he was. At length he found his younger brother, now an old man, and learnt the truth from him. [110] So he became famous throughout Greece, and was believed to be a special favourite of heaven...
Diogenes Laërtius probably lived during the early 200s CE (around the time the Mishnah was written). His work, Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, is one of the most important sources of information about the history of ancient Greek philosophy.
Epimenides lived around the 7th-6th centuries BCE, somewhere between the time of Isaiah and the time of Jeremiah.
...Concerning The Death Of Onias.
1. After these promises had been given to Aretas, he made an expedition against Aristobulus with an army of fifty thousand horse and foot, and beat him in the battle. And when after that victory many went over to Hyrcanus as deserters, Aristobulus was left desolate, and fled to Jerusalem; upon which the king of Arabia took all his army, and made an assault upon the temple, and besieged Aristobulus therein, the people still supporting Hyracanus, and assisting him in the siege, while none but the priests continued with Aristobulus. So Aretas united the forces of the Arabians and of the Jews together, and pressed on the siege vigorously. As this happened at the time when the feast of unleavened bread was celebrated...the principal men among the Jews left the country, and fled into Egypt. Now there was one, whose name was Onias, a righteous man he was, and beloved of God, who, in a certain drought, had prayed to God to put an end to the intense heat, and whose prayers God had heard, and had sent them rain. This man had hid himself, because he saw that this sedition would last a great while. However, they brought him to the Jewish camp, and desired, that as by his prayers he had once put an end to the drought, so he would in like manner make imprecations on Aristobulus and those of his faction. And when, upon his refusal, and the excuses that he made, he was still by the multitude compelled to speak, he stood up in the midst of them, and said, "O God, the King of the whole world! since those that stand now with me are thy people, and those that are besieged are also thy priests, I beseech thee, that thou wilt neither hearken to the prayers of those against these, nor bring to effect what these pray against those." Whereupon such wicked Jews as stood about him, as soon as he had made this prayer, stoned him to death.
The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party -- and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose. I am almost ready to say that this is probably true -- that God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet. By his mere great power, on the minds of the now contestants, He could have either saved or destroyed the Union without a human contest. Yet the contest began. And, having begun He could give the final victory to either side any day. Yet the contest proceeds.
This fragment was found and preserved by John Hay, one of President Lincoln's White House secretaries, who said it was "not written to be seen of men." Some of the thoughts expressed here, written after discouraging days of personal sorrow and military defeats, also appear in Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address of 1865.
...רבים נהרגו בחרב אחיהם הקמים עליהם...
...The greatest part of them were slain by their own countrymen, of the adverse faction...
...בספר יוחסין כתוב בשם יוסף בן גוריון שנהרג חוני המעגל מחוץ לירושלים במלחמות בני חשמונאי וזה מסכים עם תלמודנו לפי שנאבד מן העולם ע' שנה בשינה. אמרו עליו שנהרג במלחמת האחים ולכך כשבא אפי' בר בריה לא האמין לו:
...in the Sefer Yuchasin, it is written in the name of Yosef ben Gurion that Choni HaMe’aggel was killed outside of Jerusalem in the wars of the descendants of the Chasmoneans. And this agrees with our Talmud: Since he was lost from the world for seventy years, sleeping, they said about him that he was killed in the civil war. And that is why when he came, even his grandson did not believe him.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן...אַקַּמְצָא וּבַר קַמְצָא חֲרוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אַתַּרְנְגוֹלָא וְתַרְנְגוֹלְתָּא חֲרוּב טוּר מַלְכָּא, אַשָּׁקָא דְרִיסְפַּק חֲרוּב בֵּיתֵּר...
Rabbi Yoḥanan said...Jerusalem was destroyed on account of Kamtza and bar Kamtza. The place known as the King’s Mountain was destroyed on account of a rooster and a hen. The city of Beitar was destroyed on account of a shaft from a chariot [rispak].
...אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא חָרְבָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁדָּנוּ בָּהּ דִּין תּוֹרָה...וְלָא עֲבַדוּ לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין.
...Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Jerusalem was destroyed only for the fact that they adjudicated cases on the basis of Torah law in the city...and did not go beyond the letter of the law.
The stories attributed to Yohanan recounting episodes that led to destruction are meant to convey the lessons to be learned from these tragedies. The story of Bar Kamza uses a case of personal animosity to teach that “political factionalism caused the destruction of Jerusalem.” The destruction of Tur Malka and Beitar both involve Roman ignorance and disregard towards Jewish customs and the Jews’ misunderstanding the intentions of the Romans. The lesson here seems to be that “the key to avoiding war is knowledge and appreciation of the culture of the other” and “trivial matters snowball into serious violence.”