[Avodah] churban habayit

[Stuart Feldhamer]

RET:
> Well, which do you think is worse: Galut, or the Churban?
> 
> Which do you think is worse, the tremendous loss of life, or the
> Churban? >>
> 
> Why do we need to choose? Why not stress both losses. After all there
> are many kinnot on many issues.

OK fine, there's no arguing on that.

> Similarly Eichah has only some minor references to the bet hamikdash.
> I would have expected a lot more. Again not instead but in addition to
> the destruction of the city.

OK, now remember that Eichah was written by Yirmiyahu HaNavi. And according
to tradition it was written before the churban; in fact, during the reign of
Yehoyakim. Now one of Yirmiyahu's main messages was that the Beit Hamikdash
is only a building when it comes down to it. If the people aren't behaving
properly, then the BH"M is worthless. In contrast, the people all believed
that the BH"M COULDN'T be destroyed, because it was the house of G-d and
inherently holy, and when Yirmiyahu prophesized that it would, they tried to
kill him as a false prophet. Yirmiyahu tried very hard to convey the message
that just like Shiloh was destroyed, the BH"M could and would be destroyed
as well if the Jews didn't do teshuvah, and there was nothing inherently
holy about it if the Jews were sinning.

Given that, what do you think he should have written about in Eichah? To me
it makes a lot more sense that he would mourn the inevitable loss of life
and national freedom, than the loss of the BH"M.

Stuart