Teaching Team

Prophet of the Second Exile (Part 2)

By Aaron Eby  | Comments (1) | Posted on August 7, 2008

Why the Second Exile?

As I had noted in my previous post, although the First Temple's destruction occurred because of blatant disobedience, the people in the days of the Second Temple were scrupulously Torah observant. So why was Israel exiled a second time?

The Talmud offers some explanations of why the Temple was destroyed:

R. Johanan said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they gave judgments therein in accordance with Biblical law. Were they then to have judged in accordance with untrained arbitrators? But say thus: because they based their judgments [strictly] upon Biblical law, and did not go beyond the requirements of the law. (b.Bava Metzia 30b)

To rephrase, judicial courts judged strictly and severely, without allowing circumstances or compassion to influence their decisions.

In tractate Yoma, the Talmud compares the circumstances of the destruction of the first and second Temples, and offers another explanation for its destruction.

Why was the first Sanctuary destroyed? Because of three [evil] things which prevailed there: idolatry, immorality, bloodshed. But why was the second Sanctuary destroyed, seeing that in its time they were occupying themselves with Torah, [observance of] precepts, and the practice of charity? Because therein prevailed hatred without cause. That teaches you that groundless hatred (sin'at chinam, שנאת חנם) is considered as of even gravity with the three sins of idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed together. (b.Yoma 9b)

A third passage from the Talmud (b.Gittin 55a) attributes the destruction of Jerusalem to the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. In this story, a host instructs his servant to invite his friend Kamtza to a banquet. Instead, the servant accidentally invites Bar Kamtza, the host's bitter enemy. At the party, Bar Kamtza was subjected to utter humiliation in the presence of the other guests, which included prominent rabbis. Enraged by the experience, he sought to incite Caesar against Jerusalem.

Our Master Yeshua came teaching everyone to repent. Repentance boils down to Torah observance, of course. But what commandments, specifically, did Yeshua pinpoint as problem areas?

Rabbi Yeshua emphasized love for one's fellow (even one's enemy), reconciliation between brothers, forgiveness, utmost concern for human dignity and well being, and allowing others to insult and persecute you without revenge. Our master taught that reconciliation and gratuitous love (ahavat chinam, אהבת חנם) is of utmost importance--even more important than the sacrifice you are holding in your hands before the holy altar. Because if you do not reconcile now, there will not even be an altar. The Messiah Yeshua faulted his generation for failure to show compassion and for being internally corrupt while technically observant (Ramban called this naval birshut hatorah, נבל ברשות התורה).

It is clear from this that our master Yeshua the Messiah was a prophet of the highest caliber. Our rabbi identified with perfect precision the reasons for the exile. He predicted and diagnosed the greatest exile the world has ever seen, exactly one generation before the destruction began.

But the diagnosis also provides the cure. Certainly God will bring the redemption in its time. But what can we do to bring the time nearer? What is our part in reversing the exile?

The redemption will come when we do exactly what our master says. Be reconciled now. Don't wait--drop everything. Stop hatred. Stop feeling insulted. Stop insulting others. When we do this, the redemption will come. May it come quickly.

About the Author: Aaron Eby writes for messiah magazine and other FFOZ publications. He is also the author of the forthcoming siddur project, as well as the forthcoming Hebrew lesson DVD.

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