[Avodah] What is SinAs Chinam

[Arie Folger]

Dear Ovedim,

Usually the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza is read in such a way as to
consider the dislike of the party host for Bar Kamtza to exemplify sinat
chinam. After all, he could have accepted Bar Kamtza's offer to pay for
part of teh cost (or even all of them) and let him be.

However, thinking along the line of thinking raised by RMRabi, I want to
suggest that there is a lot of sinat chinnam in Bar Kmatza's reaction, i.e.
being willing to arouse the ire of the government against the Jewish
community for having been personally slighted. That is indeed a massively
disproprotionate response if tehre ever was one.

Generally, I do not read that story as being *the* reason for or cause of
the Churban, but rather to exemplify the deteriorating societal order
because of increasing sinat chinnam, which culminated in the political
assassinations between the different groups of zealots, as documented by
Josephus and as hinted at by one zealot leader to his uncle Rabban Jochanan
Ben Zakai (as recorded in the Bavli), AS WELL AS stressing that the Churban
didn't suddenly happen, but that there was a process of steady,
increasingly deteriorating relations between the Roman government and the
Jewish community, culminating in the Churban. The cessation of the imperial
sacrifice was such a step, which, according to Josephus, took place a few
decades before the Churban (don't recall exactly when, as I haven't read
Bellum Judaicum in years).

Thoughts?

Shenizkeh lir'ot bene'hamat Tsiyon,
-- 
Arie Folger,
Visit my blog at http://rabbifolger.net/

<http://rabbifolger.net/2016/01/28/wir-missionieren-nicht-aber-warum-nicht/>
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