Thoughts on Tisha B'Av, 5755
based on a lecture by Rabbi Yochanan Zweig
given at 
Yeshivat Ohr Somayach, Tanenbaum College, Jerusalem
For Tisha B'Av 5755, 6 August 1995 (observed)
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KAMTZAH AND BAR KAMTZAH

The Talmud relates the following incident:
Because of Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah Jerusalem was destroyed.  A certain 
person had a friend named Kamtzah and an enemy named Bar Kamtzah.  This 
person made a party, and told his servant to invite Kamtzah.  Instead, the 
servant went ahead and invited the host's enemy, Bar Kamtzah.  When the 
host saw Bar Kamtzah sitting at his party, he said, "What are you doing 
here?  Get up!  Get out!"

"Since I came, let me stay and I'll pay for my meal," said Bar Kamtzah.

"No!" said the host.

"I'll pay for half of the entire affair," said Bar Kamtzah.

"No!"

"I'll pay for the entire affair!"

"No!" said the host.  He then grabbed him, stood him up and threw him out.

Bar Kamtzah, enraged that several Sages were present but did not protest, 
went to Rome and deceived the Caesar into believing that the Jews were 
plotting rebellion.  Convinced, the Caesar came and destroyed Jerusalem.
Now, one might ask, why didn't the host take advantage of Bar Kamtzah's 
offer to pay for the entire meal?  What better way to exploit your enemy 
than throw a lavish feast and have him foot the bill!

Furthermore, what is meant by the introductory statement: "Because of 
Kamtzah and Bar Kamtzah Jerusalem was destroyed"?  Why blame Kamtzah?  
Kamtzah was supposed to have been invited to the party, but he never got 
the invitation.  His only "sin" was that he just happened to have the same 
name as the host's enemy.  Is this any reason that his name has been 
associated for nearly two millennia with this cataclysmic tragedy -- the 
destruction of the Beis HaMikdash?

SINAS CHINOM

To answer these questions, we need to understand what is meant by the term 
"Sinas Chinom."  Our Sages tell us that it is Sinas Chinom that destroyed 
Jerusalem, and it is Sinas Chinom which keeps us mired in exile until this 
very day.  Sinas Chinom is sometimes translated as "baseless hatred" -- 
hatred for no reason.  When there is love and caring among Jews, Hashem 
acts with us in a way that shows love and care.  But when we act with anger 
and spite, harboring animosity, it's as though we're inviting Hashem to do 
the same.

WHAT SANE INDIVIDUAL HATES SOMEONE FOR NO REASON?

But let's stop and think:  What sane individual hates someone for no 
reason?  A petty reason, an invalid reason, perhaps.  Bob steps on Steve's 
toe, so Steve hates Bob.  But hatred with absolutely no reason whatsoever?  
Let us therefore take a different approach to understand the concept of 
Sinas Chinom.

The following parable characterizes Sinas Chinom:  A king told a person, 
"Ask for anything you desire and I'll give it to you, and to your enemy 
I'll give double."  After thinking a while he said, "O, King, poke out one 
of my eyes."

It's worth it for me to lose a fortune as long as my brother gets nothing!"

Anyone doubting that such people actually exist, consider the following 
true account:  There were two brothers whose old mother died, leaving a 
$100,000 inheritance entirely to the younger brother.  The older brother 
was enraged, certain that in the last year of her life his brother had 
convinced their mother to cut him out of the will.

"I'm going to contest the will," he told his rabbi.  "I'll see to it that 
my brother doesn't get a penny!"

"Did you ask lawyers how much it'll cost to contest the will?" asked the 
Rabbi.

"Of course," answered the man.  "It's going to cost $200,000, but I don't 
care.  It's worth it for me to lose a fortune as long as my brother gets 
nothing!"

How is it that a person is willing to spend thousands of dollars, in order 
to gain nothing?  Why doesn't he go out and buy presents for his friends 
and family, or better yet -- himself?

The answer is:  Sinas Chinom.  Of course he'd be better off spending the 
money on himself.  But he cannot.  Why?  Sinas Chinom:  "Free Hatred."  
Though the hatred may have some basis, it is "free" in the sense that it 
yields nothing.  It is free of logic, free of profit.  On the contrary, he 
will poke out his own eye or spend a fortune -- even destroy himself -- to 
satisfy his hatred.  Ultimately, Sinas Chinom is self-hatred.

"KAMTZAN" MEANS "MISER"

 "A certain person had a friend named Kamtzah" -- In Hebrew, the word 
"Kamtzan" means "miser," someone so out of touch, so self-hating, that he 
cannot spend money even for himself.  "The host had a friend" -- someone 
with whom he identified -- named "Miser."  The Talmud is hinting here that 
the host himself is a Kamtzan.  What greater gain than to throw a party and 
have someone else foot the bill?  But the host was focused not on his own 
gain, but rather, on his enemy's -- and ultimately his own -- destruction.

"BAR KAMTZAH" MEANS "OUTSIDE THE REALM OF MISERLINESS"

The guest at the party, Bar Kamtzah, on the other hand, loved himself.  
Look how much money he was willing to spend to spare himself the 
embarrassment of unceremonious eviction!  His very name -- Bar Kamtzah -- 
hints at this:  "Bar" means "outside."  "Kamtzah," as mentioned before, 
refers to self destructive miserliness.  Hence, "Bar Kamtzah" refers to 
someone who is "outside the realm of miserliness."  From the story's tragic 
end, however, we see what an infectious disease is Sinas Chinom.  After 
being the target of the host's vicious Sinas Chinom, even Bar Kamtzah -- 
the symbol of love and generousity -- succumbs.  His hatred foments into a 
storm, until in a fit of malice he slanders the entire Jewish nation in the 
ears of the Roman Emperor, bringing destruction upon his family, his 
homeland, and ultimately -- himself.

May we merit the swift fulfillment of the prophetic promise that the days 
of mourning for the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash will become days of 
joyful celebration.  As the verse states "So said Hashem, `The fast of the 
fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, 
and the fast of the tenth month will become days of rejoicing, happiness 
and festivals for the House of Judah -- therefore, love Truth and Peace.'" 
(Zechariah 8:19)

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Tapes of Lectures on Tisha B'av


The Jerusalem Echoes Audio Library has over a thousand tapes on various 
topics of Judaica.

The above essay was based on tape #A79, which is one of the many tapes on 
Tisha B'Av available from the library.

Ordering a tape couldn't be easier:
Just mail us your order, being sure to include your full name, address and 
phone #, the tape ID for each tape desired, and a check for 9nis per tape 
plus 2.90nis postage per tape.  Send this to Ohr Somayach, POB 18103, 
Jerusalem 91180 ISRAEL.
Prices are different outside Israel.  Ask for details.

Other tapes available on Tisha B'Av

Speaker	            ID        Topic
--------------------    -------   ------------------------------------
R. M. Becher            B25       "And Rabbi Akiva Laughed..."
R. N. Bulman            NB69/70   Torah Reading On Tisha B'Av 5753
	                  NB123/4   Kamtza U'Bar Kamtza
R. Y. Kalatsky          A55       Appreciating the Churban Habais
R. Z. Leff              OG24(4)   Tisha B'av
R. U. Milevsky, Z'tl	M34       The Purpose of Tisha B'Av
R. Y. Rokowsky          A84       From Mourning to Rejoicing-
                                  Tisha B'av
R. N. Schiller          S15(3)    Tisha B'Av 5750
                        S61       Tisha B'Av 5753 I
                        S62       Tisha B'Av 5753 II
R. M. Weinbach          W15       Why We Cry On Tisha B'Av
R. Y. Zwieg             A79       Dealing With Destruction

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