Kamtza and Bar Kamtza: Baseless Hatred
A man is thrown out of a banquet and no one intervenes — and from that humiliation, says the Talmud, the destruction of Jerusalem begins.
The Talmud answers the question of why Jerusalem fell not with politics but with the story of one evening. A man in Jerusalem giving a banquet sent his servant to invite his friend Kamtza. The servant erred and brought Bar Kamtza, the host's enemy. Seeing him at the table, the host ordered him out. Bar Kamtza pleaded: 'Since I have come, let me stay and I will pay for what I eat.' Refused. 'I will pay half the banquet.' Refused. 'I will pay for all of it.' The host put him out in front of the guests.
Bar Kamtza reasoned: the sages sat there and said nothing, so they approved. He went to the emperor and reported a Jewish revolt, proposing a test — send an offering to the Temple in the emperor's name; if they accept it, they are loyal. On the way he inflicted a blemish on the animal, disqualifying it under Jewish law but invisible to Romans. In the Temple they debated whether to bring it for the sake of peace with the empire. Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas said it could neither be offered nor the informer executed — and it was refused.
Rabbi Yochanan sums up: 'The humility of Rabbi Zechariah ben Avkulas destroyed our House, burned our Temple and exiled us from our land.'