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Tales of

destruction

ach year on Tisha B’Av, we read which ultimately led to the city’s
Megillat Eicha and recite kinnot. A destruction. Our Sages are teaching us
look at the kinnot reveals that many that the “everyone is guilty” approach
Eof them are based on a series of Tal- can sometimes lead to nobody taking
mudic aggadot from Tractate Gittin which responsibility, so they prefer to place
focus on the destruction of the Beit HaMik- the responsibility on the actions of one
dash. There is tremendous depth to these individual. The message is that each
aggadot, which require detailed study, but a and every one of us is capable of causing
quick review reveals overarching principles the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash,
that can be seen throughout. and by the same token, each of us can
bring about the process of rebuilding
• The aggadot do not place blame on and redemption.
our enemies, like the Babylonians and
Romans, who destroyed the first and • The tales of destruction we read on
second Batei HaMikdash respectively, Tisha B’Av are parallel to the aggadot
but teach us to search deeply for the recited on Seder Night. The redemption
problems within. One example is the from Egypt is filled with us minimizing,
Midrash that describes a Bat Kol (Divine as much as possible, the role of humans
“voice”) telling Nevuzaradan, the gen- or angels in the redemption process,
eral who oversaw the destruction of which we attribute fully and wholly to
the first Beit HaMikdash, “You burned G-d: “I and not an angel, I and not a fiery
a burning Temple, you ground ground angel, I am G-d, I the L-rd, it is I and no
flour.” In other words, even before other.” On Tisha B’Av we find the exact
the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed by opposite. The blame is placed fully upon
our enemy, it was considered burnt ourselves. Our Sages teach us that the
down and lacking spiritual value due redemption from Egypt, entrance into
to the sins of the Jewish people. Our the Land of Israel, and the building of
Sages teach us that the primary blame the Beit HaMikdash are all gifts bestowed
for the destruction should be placed upon us by G-d and not the results of
on ourselves and lead us to reflect on our own power or strength. It is our
our actions. This same message indi- own sins and misdeeds which caused
cates that our actions will help repair us to ruin, and ultimately lose, these
the damage and ensure the ultimate precious gifts.
rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash.
• The tales of destruction are written
• The aggadot tell stories of individu- in Gittin, which focuses on the laws
als. For example, the famous story of of divorce. Perhaps they were placed
Kamtza and Bar Kamtza describes how there to teach us there is a connection
one individual was offended when he between national destruction and the
was embarrassed in front of the nobles destruction of a home and family.
of Yerushalayim and sought to seek When a private home is destroyed, it
revenge against the city’s residents, is likened to the destruction of the Beit

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