As we embark upon a week commemorating the pinnacle in Jewish tradition of the mourning period for the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, the State of Israel faces one of the toughest and potentially most fragile watersheds in its 75-year history.
This year, the overwhelming sense of desolation and gloom that comprise a natural part of these days of mourning has been compounded by profound concern over the severe crisis threatening our national resilience and our very existence as a cohesive society.
Perhaps the most famous historical legend associated with this period is the story of Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza. The story relates to the end of the 60s ACE, the last days of ancient Jerusalem prior to being sacked by the Romans. The internal relations among the Jews there were extremely precarious, rife with dispute, bitter internecine rivalry, and hatred. Baseless hatred. At the height of this social plight, these figures then began back-stabbing and informing on one another to the Roman Emperor. From there, the path to the eventual destruction was but a short one.
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Rivers of ink have been spilled on a plethora of interpretations to this legend and in presenting its underlying lessons for the generations to come. They are all relevant to the present day too and will probably find pride of place in numerous speeches and articles in the days ahead.
It is also advisable to turn our attention to the words of introduction that the Talmudic sage chooses to prelude the story. He begins by asking what is the message that arises from the biblical verse "Happy is the man who is anxious always, but he who hardens his heart falls into misfortune" (Proverbs 28:14).
History is replete with disaster
He provides an answer in the form of the story of Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza. What is the connection between them? Rashi, the greatest of our biblical commentators, explains: the man who is constantly anxious "takes care to act with foresight so that no misfortune shall befall him."
History is replete with disasters and those people involved in them (either by act or by omission), never even considered that things would come to such a state. Their conduct was guided by three assumptions.
The first one: we shouldn't exaggerate the implications, it is important "to take things in proportion." The second one: we have control over events enabling us to apply the brakes in time. The third one: it is possible to repair the damage incurred.
Truth be told, most of us conduct our lives based on these assumptions. It isn't really possible to act otherwise. Having said that, the story here comes to warn us of being overconfident of this and proposes that we should cast some doubt and apply more stringent assumptions: we would do well to remember that a seemingly "small" incident might lead to a large disaster and once you are embroiled in a 'snowball' process of deterioration it is very easy to lose control and then you can't apply the brakes at all, and no less important: it is not always possible to have a 'second shot' at something or to turn the clock back and repair what went wrong.
Had all the various players at the time of Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza acted according to these assumptions, then they might have been able to prevent the eventual destruction of the Temple, and the ensuing exile.
The deep and broad rift among the various sectors of society
In its 75th year of independence, the State of Israel faces one of the thorniest domestic challenges it has ever had to deal with. The rift among the various sectors of society is extremely deep and broad. It has opened up wounds that refuse to heal, it has touched upon raw nerves and caused severe, almost irreparable damage, threatening to further expand the existing alienation and schism among our brothers.
The dispute has long crossed over from the political domain and is apparent in all walks of life. It has smashed the brittle shield that until now has always protected the IDF and the security forces, the ultimate symbol of consensus and stronghold of non-partisan impartiality, threatening to crush what is left of the "People's Army". It is also eroding the health system – which perhaps still represents the broadest common denominator of us all.
Public discourse lacks any signs of a desire or readiness to listen to the other side. Each camp is hunkering down in its own strong battle positions. Positive that it is right, it argues, demonstrates, and on the whole, it is mainly preaching to the converted.
The rhetoric is intensifying, the tone of speech is exacerbating and the worrying signs of hatred are all too apparent. Not because of a person's actions or behavior, but only because of an individual's opinions, stance, and the fact that he identifies with the other side. This is the essence of baseless hatred.
Our enemies are rubbing their hands in glee
"Earthquake in the Israeli Army of Occupation's air force" – this is the headline that the Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen gave to the worrying development of IAF pilots refusing to serve. Our enemies are gazing at us in wonder and rubbing their hands in glee. This crisis fills them with hope, as they see Israel torn apart by internal strife, continuing to rip itself up into pieces.
Just as was the case during the destruction of the Temple, today too, it is difficult to find a figure of consensus, somebody who can really bang down hard on the pulpit and warn everybody of the potential ramifications of this current vector. Where are we headed?
If we insist on focusing our attention on the question of who is to blame and who is right – we will not succeed in extricating ourselves from the quicksand that threatens to pull us further down. Instead of going out to prove that we are right, now is the time to display responsibility: for the security and resilience of the state and to ensure that society remains intact. Above all we need to remove the IDF, the defense establishment, and the health system from all disputes. The damage that these domains might incur could well be irreparable, or in the eternal words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes (1:15) "A twisted thing that cannot be made straight".
The representatives of the various camps must engage each other in a meaningful dialogue to reach agreement. Such a dialogue must be conducted based on recognition of the genuine concerns troubling each side, founded on trust and respect, and mainly out of a sense of responsibility. Beyond the need to reach agreement on any specific issue that is on the agenda, it would be advisable to regard these talks as a good opportunity to pave the way towards addressing the root causes of the conflict and the key questions of identity, vision, and "rules of the game" during situations of discord.
It is probably safe to say that it won't be possible to reach a formula upon which everybody will agree, but a formula with a broad and solid basis of consensus would be a sufficiently good achievement.
Just as is true of any family, when dealing with the state too, a formal arrangement of relations will never be able to replace those "soft" components that are essential to preserving a viable framework for living together: mutual respect, consideration for others, friendship and above all: a sense of responsibility. Only when we begin to walk down this path will we know that we have learned the historical lessons of the Temple's destruction.
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