Parashas Devarim – Shabbos Chazon

Shalom Uvracha!

  This weeks Parsha deals with the difficulties of human emotions and is
particularly of interest during these Three Weeks of Mourning as it relates
to Teshuva.  This Torah commentary is once again from Rabbi Henach
Liebowitz.

  Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom,

  Rabbi Avraham Goldstein, Rabbi Yossef Goldstein, and Rabbi David
Goldstein

  בס''ד

  Parashas Devarim – Shabbos Chazon

  I.  The Complexity of Human Feelings

  Any generation in which the Temple is not rebuilt, is considered as if it
was destroyed in that generation…(Yerushalmi, Yoma 1:1)


  On the ninth of Av, almost 2,000 years ago, the Beis HaMikdash was set
afire in Jerusalem.  The Talmud (Yoma 9b) teaches us: The Jewish people at
that time were involved in Torah, mitzvos and acts of loving-kindness.  If
so, why were they punished with the destruction of the Holy Temple?  Because
of sin'as chinam – unwarranted hatred that existed among them.  This
teaches us, the Gemara continues, that sin'as chinam is equal in severity to
the three cardinal sins – murder, idolatry and immorality – which caused
the destruction of the first Temple.  The Maharsha (ibid.) points out that
this type of hatred is illustrated in another Gemara (Gittin 57a) by the
story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza.
  Anyone who studies the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza is shocked by the
extreme hatred that drove the host of the banquet to forcibly evict his
enemy, Bar Kamtza, in full view of the entire community; despite Bar
Kamtza's pleas to be allowed to stay and his offer the pay the cost of the
entire affair.  This, according to our Sages, is symptomatic of the disease
of sin'as chinam that was widespread among the people.
  If we pause to examine this tragedy that we still mourn today, almost two
millennia later, a startling truth emerges.  Weren't these people steeped in
Torah, mitzvos, and acts of loving-kindness?  The Talmud testifies that they
were involved in helping one another and doing chesed to their fellow man.
The Gemara doesn't say that they pretended to do these mitzvos.  We must
assume that they performed chesed properly, with their hearts as well as
their hands.  Can such kind, helpful, pious Jews be guilty of baseless
hatred; a hatred that reached the level of the story of Kamtza and Bar
Kamtza?
  Such is the incredible complexity of the human being.  At the same time
that we extend ourselves to help a friend, be kind and compassionate, we can
also feel sin'as chinam towards other Jews.  The same heart which harbors
love for some people can simultaneously contain a needless, unwarranted
hatred towards other Jews.  This hatred is such a grievous sin that all the
Torah, mitzvos and chesed in the world canot protect the Beis HaMikdash from
destruction.
  The Chofetz Chaim (Ahavas Yisrael, Chap. 2) exhorts us to realize that we
are still afflicted with this condition – even more seriously than our
forefathers.  The hatred we have in our hearts is the continuing cause of
our prolonged exile and the Beis HaMikdash not being rebuilt.  To illustrate
the far-reaching implications of the sin, he quotes the Gemara (Sanhedrin
27b) which states that even not speaking with someone because of ill will is
considered sinah – hatred.
  "I don't hurt him – I never even say a hostile word to him.  In fact, I
have nothing to say to him at all!"  This is sin'as chinam.  Avoiding
someone because of any resentment or ill will, even without displaying or
feeling strong hatred, is sin'as chinam and directly causes our continued
exile.  May we eliminate any negative feelings towards others and increase
our love and friendship for them, so that this generation will be the one to
merit the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.