Several years ago I had a strong question concerning the Talmud's account of Titus entering the Kodesh Hakodoshim on Tisha B'Av as the Romans were destroying the Temple. I finally figured out a novel approach which I'll share with you soon. I'd like to first discuss another Talmudic passage and with the explanation to that passage also answer my question regarding Titus. A year ago I was listening to a famous song concerning Rebbi Yishmoel Kohen Godol's conversation with Hashem on Yom Kippur in the Kodesh Hakodoshim and again was stumped for an answer to a question.
Rebbi Yishmoel KG enters the Holy of Holies and sees that Hashem is there with him. Hashem says to Rebbi Yishmoel KG, Yishmoel my son bless me. And Rebbi Yishmoel KG answers and says, May your rachmonus take away your anger against the Jewish nation. And Hashem says Omein. Nice story, nice song, but let's take a look at what happens next. The Bais Hamikdosh is destroyed and Rebbi Yishmoel KG is killed most tragically by the Romans. He is one of the 10 Harugei Malchus, the 10 most holy Jewish Rabbis who were martyred during the years from the destruction of the Temple and the years after that. Doesn't it seem from the Talmud's story that Hashem said Omein to Rebbi Yishmoel KG and assented that Hashem's rachamim would take away His anger from us? And yet He then goes on to destroy it all and kill the Kohen Godol.
Let's go back to the Titus story. Titus enters the Kodesh Hakodoshim and sees the Keruvim entwined with each other and laughs. Odd relation of a story by the Talmud. The Talmud when discussing the Keruvim explains a passage in the Torah that we are commanded to make two Keruvim and place them in the Kodesh Hakodoshim facing each other. The Talmud says that when the Jews observed the commandments of the Torah and they did the Will of G-d, then the Keruvim faced each other. When they weren't observant, the Keruvim turned away from each other. Here we are, Titus enters the Holy of Holies, the Roman soldiers are destroying Jerusalem and the Temple, killing tens of thousands of Jews, and why? Because the Jews obviously weren't doing the Will of G-d. And the Keruvim are NOT turning away from each other but are rather entwined, showing the ultimate in love for each other, connoting a high degree of Jewish fidelity to Hashem? Something wrong with this story?
I would like to offer an explanation. The Keruvim according to Kabbalic tradition represent two spiritual attributes, that of Malchus (Royalty) and Chesed (Grace). When these two spiritual attributes unite, they create a high level of Rachamim. Let's go back to Rebbi Yishmoel KG and his blessing of G-d. Rebbi Yishmoel KG knew full well that the anger of G-d had reached a critical mass and that the Heavenly Court had decreed the Chas V'sholom destruction of the Jewish nation. And so Rebbi Yishmoel KG tries to save the nation. Our Sages tell us that G-d, instead of allowing His anger to destroy the nation, poured that anger on the stones of the Temple and destroyed the Temple instead of the nation. This is what Rebbi Yishmoel accomplished with his blessing to G-d. Let Your rachamim take off Your anger from us and place it on the stones of the Temple. And G-d acquiesced and nodded Yes. But Rebbi Yishmoel KG himself lost his life as a sacrifice in order to accomplish this.
Back to Titus. What he saw were the Keruvim entwined in loving unity of their spiritual attributes of Malchus and Chesed, bringing about Rachamim, the Rachamim that Rebbi Yishmoel KG had requested of G-d. Not to destroy the nation but rather to pour His anger on the stones of the Temple. The actual destruction of the Temple was in fact an act of Rachmonus, as embodied in the action of the Keruvim and the blessing of Rebbi Yishmoel KG.
May we speedily merit the rebuilding of our Holy Temple and the service of the Kohanim and Kohen Gadol and finally merit the total rachmonus from Hashem.
Rebbi Yishmoel KG enters the Holy of Holies and sees that Hashem is there with him. Hashem says to Rebbi Yishmoel KG, Yishmoel my son bless me. And Rebbi Yishmoel KG answers and says, May your rachmonus take away your anger against the Jewish nation. And Hashem says Omein. Nice story, nice song, but let's take a look at what happens next. The Bais Hamikdosh is destroyed and Rebbi Yishmoel KG is killed most tragically by the Romans. He is one of the 10 Harugei Malchus, the 10 most holy Jewish Rabbis who were martyred during the years from the destruction of the Temple and the years after that. Doesn't it seem from the Talmud's story that Hashem said Omein to Rebbi Yishmoel KG and assented that Hashem's rachamim would take away His anger from us? And yet He then goes on to destroy it all and kill the Kohen Godol.
Let's go back to the Titus story. Titus enters the Kodesh Hakodoshim and sees the Keruvim entwined with each other and laughs. Odd relation of a story by the Talmud. The Talmud when discussing the Keruvim explains a passage in the Torah that we are commanded to make two Keruvim and place them in the Kodesh Hakodoshim facing each other. The Talmud says that when the Jews observed the commandments of the Torah and they did the Will of G-d, then the Keruvim faced each other. When they weren't observant, the Keruvim turned away from each other. Here we are, Titus enters the Holy of Holies, the Roman soldiers are destroying Jerusalem and the Temple, killing tens of thousands of Jews, and why? Because the Jews obviously weren't doing the Will of G-d. And the Keruvim are NOT turning away from each other but are rather entwined, showing the ultimate in love for each other, connoting a high degree of Jewish fidelity to Hashem? Something wrong with this story?
I would like to offer an explanation. The Keruvim according to Kabbalic tradition represent two spiritual attributes, that of Malchus (Royalty) and Chesed (Grace). When these two spiritual attributes unite, they create a high level of Rachamim. Let's go back to Rebbi Yishmoel KG and his blessing of G-d. Rebbi Yishmoel KG knew full well that the anger of G-d had reached a critical mass and that the Heavenly Court had decreed the Chas V'sholom destruction of the Jewish nation. And so Rebbi Yishmoel KG tries to save the nation. Our Sages tell us that G-d, instead of allowing His anger to destroy the nation, poured that anger on the stones of the Temple and destroyed the Temple instead of the nation. This is what Rebbi Yishmoel accomplished with his blessing to G-d. Let Your rachamim take off Your anger from us and place it on the stones of the Temple. And G-d acquiesced and nodded Yes. But Rebbi Yishmoel KG himself lost his life as a sacrifice in order to accomplish this.
Back to Titus. What he saw were the Keruvim entwined in loving unity of their spiritual attributes of Malchus and Chesed, bringing about Rachamim, the Rachamim that Rebbi Yishmoel KG had requested of G-d. Not to destroy the nation but rather to pour His anger on the stones of the Temple. The actual destruction of the Temple was in fact an act of Rachmonus, as embodied in the action of the Keruvim and the blessing of Rebbi Yishmoel KG.
May we speedily merit the rebuilding of our Holy Temple and the service of the Kohanim and Kohen Gadol and finally merit the total rachmonus from Hashem.
