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Devarim –Kamtza and Bar Kamtza Triggered the Destruction.  

 

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל וכו' בין פארן כו' ודי זהב

“These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Klal Yisrael etc. between Paran etc. and Di-Zahav.” 

Moshe Rabbeinu rebuked Klal Yisrael just before he passed away for the sins that they committed. He did not mention these sins explicitly; instead he alluded to them by using veiled references. For example, when he spoke to Klal Yisrael concerning “Paran,” he alluded to the sin of the spies who were sent from the wilderness of “Paran.” When he spoke to them concerning “Di-Zahav” [literally, an abundance of gold] he alluded to the sin of making the golden calf. He rebuked Klal Yisrael in this manner in order not to embarrass and offend Klal Yisrael [Rashi, Devarim 1-1]

This is mystifying. “Tochacha” (Rebuke) is a mitzvah of the Torah, so why didn’t Moshe confront them directly?

It seems that although “Tochacha” is indeed a mitzvah of the Torah, בין אדם לחברו is a mitzvah of the Torah as well. The prohibition against embarrassing and offending Klal Yisrael constitutes a transgression of paramount importance. Moshe Rabbeinu felt that it is better to fulfill the mitzvah of “Tochacha” in a scaled down and veiled manner, than to openly offend and embarrass the entire Klal Yisrael. We see clearly from here what a grave transgression to offend Klal Yisrael constitutes.

But what about a single individual of Klal Yisrael? Is it also such a grave transgression to embarrass and offend him?

Perhaps we can see from the famous Gemora in Gitin, regarding Tisha B’Av, that this same grave transgression applies not only to embarrassing the entire Klal Yisrael, but even to embarrassing a solitary individual. Not only to offend a lone Tzadik, but even a Rasha, an evil person, the lowest of the low of Klal Yisrael, constitutes a grave transgression.

The Gemora relates that an individual making a banquet asked his messenger to invite his dear friend Kamtza to the affair. Mistakenly, the messenger invited the hosts arch enemy Bar Kamtza instead. The host, seeing Bar Kamtza, physically ejected him from the party. Bar Kamtza, being very angry and embarrassed, took revenge on the entire Klal Yisrael. He said, “Since the Rabbi’s were seated at the banquet and did not rebuke the host for the way he treated me, it is evident that what he did was acceptable to them”. He went to the authorities and viciously made false claims against the entire Klal Yisrael by saying that they were rebelling against him. This in turn, triggered the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. 

The Gemora concludes this story by saying: “Come and see how great the power of shame is! For the Holy one, blessed be He, assisted Bar Kamtza [in his plot to take revenge for the shame to which he had been subjected]; He destroyed His own temple, and burned His own sanctuary.” We see clearly from here the tremendous waves in Heaven that resulted from the shame of one individual, although he was a “Rasha,”- a wicked evil person- the lowest of the low. Because Bar Kamtza had been shamed, Hashem came to his aid and destroyed His own Bais Hamikdash.

May we understand and inculcate within ourselves the paramount importance of בין אדם לחברו, offending even the lowest of human beings. Let us obliterate any hate from within us. Let us focus on ואהבת לרעך כמוך, loving each and every member of Klal Yisrael.

In this merit may we be privileged to witness the speedy rebuilding of the third Bais Hamikdash, in our days, במהרה בימנו, Amen VeAmen!