מועדים לשיחה; מהדורה משפחתית, שלושת השבועות, מעשה שהיהCeremony and Celebration Family Edition, The Hagim, The Three Weeks, It Once Happened
א׳
1WHY THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED
ב׳
2The Talmud tells us that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans because of the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. There once was a man who had a friend called Kamtza and an enemy named Bar Kamtza. He was planning a big party, so he gave his servant a list of all the people he wanted to invite, including his good friend Kamtza. The servant mistakenly delivered the invitation to Bar Kamtza instead.
ג׳
3When the host saw that Bar Kamtza had arrived at his party, he was furious. In front of all the other guests he confronted him, asking, “What are you doing here? We are enemies! Get out!” Bar Kamtza said to him, “I now realise you didn’t mean to invite me. But since I am already here, please don’t embarrass me by throwing me out. Let me stay and I will pay for whatever I eat.” But the host refused, and again insisted that he leave immediately. Bar Kamtza said, “Let me stay and I will pay for half of the party!” But the host continued to demand that he leave his house. Bar Kamtza pleaded with him one more time, “Let me stay and I will pay for the entire party!” The host refused again, and this time dragged him out onto the street.
ד׳
4Bar Kamtza could not forgive this harsh treatment. He thought to himself: The Sages were at the party too, and they didn’t say a thing to the host about the way he spoke to me and humiliated me, so I can only assume they supported his actions. I am going to get my revenge on them and convince the emperor they are rebelling against the Roman Empire.
ה׳
5He travelled to Rome and met with the emperor, where he told him that the Jews had rebelled against him. The emperor asked him, “How do I know what you are telling me is the truth?” Bar Kamtza replied, “Let’s set a test to see if I am right. Send them an animal offering to be brought in their Temple in honour of the government and see whether they will sacrifice it.” The emperor agreed and sent him off with a perfect three-year-old calf as an offering, but on the journey back to Jerusalem, Bar Kamtza made a small cut on the calf’s upper lip, knowing that this would render the animal invalid as an offering in the Temple. When Bar Kamtza brought the animal to the Temple, the priests noticed the blemish and could not accept the calf.
ו׳
6When word got back to the emperor, he was furious, and this is how the war between the Jews and the Romans began, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jews from Jerusalem.
ז׳
7Based on Talmud Bavli, Gittin 55a–b
ח׳
8THE LEGEND OF NAPOLEON
ט׳
9A legend is told of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor in the early nineteenth century, who took a stroll through the streets of Paris with his advisors one Tisha B’Av during his reign. As his entourage passed a small synagogue they heard wailing and crying coming from within. Puzzled by the commotion, Napoleon sent an aide inside to inquire as to what had happened.
י׳
10The aide returned after a few minutes and told Napoleon that the Temple of the Jews had been destroyed and they were in mourning over its loss.
י״א
11Napoleon was outraged. “How can it be that I have no knowledge of this event? Where in the empire did this occur? When did this befall the Jews of that community and who were the perpetrators?”
י״ב
12The aide responded, “Sir, the Temple was lost in Jerusalem on this date more than 1,700 years ago.”
י״ג
13Napoleon stood in silence and shock for a moment, and then said, “A people who can mourn for Jerusalem so long will one day have it restored to them!”
י״ד
14❖ Points to Ponder
1. According to the story form the Talmud on p. 190, why was the Temple destroyed?
1. According to the story form the Talmud on p. 190, why was the Temple destroyed?
ט״ו
152. How will it ever be rebuilt?
ט״ז
163. What is the message of the legend of Napoleon and what can we learn from it?