It is written in the Talmud (Yoma 9b): «Why was the Second Temple destroyed? Because of sinat chinam, the senseless hatred of one Jew toward another.»

The Midrash Eichah tells us that when the Romans besieged Jerusalem (1st century CE), there was enough grain in its warehouses to last 20 years. Most of its inhabitants thought they could hold out and not have to go out and fight the Roman army. They felt safe and well protected within the walled city. However, the Zealots, a group of Jewish fanatics, insisted on fighting, so they burned the granaries inside the walled city, forcing the people to seek sustenance outside the city. This resulted in a direct confrontation with the Roman legions and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Many Jews were killed, and the survivors were sent into exile. This group of fanatics felt that their way was the only way.

Our sages explain that the people of the Second Temple generation were «pious» and intensely involved in Torah study. However, they were not «upright» in their relationships with others, whether in their actions, thoughts, or manner of expression. Therefore, due to the unjustified hatred each had for the other, one would often falsely accuse another of heresy simply because the other’s way of expressing themselves religiously did not agree with their own path. Those whose path was different were therefore labeled as nonbelievers and considered outside what they considered «authentic Judaism.»

Judaism in the Second Temple period was divided into several groups: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes, the Zealots, the Sicarii, and others. Some sources speak of up to 24 different groups. But the problem was not and is not plurality, but rather the lack of tolerance of one group toward the other. The Bal Shem Tov said: Why did the men of the Great Assembly specifically word the language of the prayer in the Amidah with the following apparent redundancy: «The GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob?» Because each of the three patriarchs had their own path to connecting with Him.

Some scholars have found a great similarity between Judaism in the Roman era and today. In both, there is a plurality of approaches to understanding the practice of Judaism, but also a marked intolerance of fanatic groups toward others. For those, like the Zealots, their way is the only way.

Hatred is a natural human reaction when their person, property, self-esteem, or beliefs have been unjustly attacked. Therefore, «sinat chinam» is understood as gratuitous, unfounded, or senseless hatred, since there is no apparent aggression from one person toward the other. Someone taking a different path should not be considered aggression toward the other. Unless, deep down, you have doubts about your own path. Then your hatred does make sense, because, deep down, the other person made you doubt your own.

By Marcos Gojman

Bibliography: Jewish Encyclopedia and other sources.