Ari Lesser – Tisha B'Av – Bar Kamtza

Bar Kamtza
Lyrics by Ari Lesser
Let’s stop with the hate, before it’s too late
The damage we’ve done is already so great
Let’s stop with the hate, for hatred led straight
To our own destruction on this very date
In Yerushalayim, two thousand years ago
A man decided to throw a party, it was quite the show
He financed a fantastic feast with food beyond compare
Inviting all the VIPs, the top Rabbis were there
He had a friend named Kamtza, whom he wanted to attend
And so he chose to send a servant to go pick up his friend
But the servant brought a different person by mistake
A guy by the name of Bar Kamtza, whom the host happened to hate
And when the host arrived at his party he was surprised
To see the face of Bar Kamtza, this man whom he despised
So he said,” Who invited you? What’s this all about?
You’re certainly not welcome here, now get up and get out!”
Bar Kamtza said, “Since I’m already here, how about I pay
For anything I eat or drink and you just let me stay”
The host said, “No, you’ve got to go!” Bar Kamtza said, “At least
Would you let me stay if I would pay for half of this whole feast”
Again the host said, “No!” but Bar Kamtza wouldn’t quit
Saying, “Please, just let me stay, I’ll pay for your whole banquet”
But still the host refused, and this time he’d hear no more
He grabbed Bar Kamtza, picked him up, and forced him out the door
Let’s stop with the hate, before it’s too late
The damage we’ve done is already so great
Let’s stop with the hate, when we humiliate
Other people just look at the harm we create
Now Bar Kamtza had never been exposed to so much shame
And beside the host, he also felt the Rabbis shared the blame
For how could those supposedly righteous people sit by
Watching him get humiliated by another guy?
And so with slander on his tongue Bar Kamtza left from home
And traveled to the Palace of the Emperor of Rome
There, he told the Caeser, “Lord, the Jews have turned on You”
But the king was not convinced asking, “How can you prove that’s true”
So Bar Kamtza responded, “Let’s just run a simple test
Take one young calf from your herd, select the very best
I’ll go back to our Temple with that animal you choose
Let’s see if your offering is accepted by the Jews.”
The Caesar chose to listen to Bar Kamtza’s bad advice
And sent him with the finest calf to be a sacrifice
But this was all part of Bar Kamtza’s plan, for just as soon
As he was out of Rome, he gave that calf the slightest wound
Knowing that, although the blemish, was a tiny thing
It was enough to make it unfit for an offering
As a gift from Ceaser, to the Temple it was brought
Putting all the rabbis in a very awkward spot
Let’s stop with the hate, before it’s too late
The damage we’ve done is already so great
Let’s stop with the hate, there’s no time to wait
Love is a much better way to relate
Some said it should be offered up just to avoid a fight
And despite the slight blemish this still might be alright
Though obviously not ideal, they argued that at least
This would diffuse the situation and preserve the peace
But among the Rabbis was Zecharaiah the son
Of Avkulas, a humble and highly respected one
Who said, “We can’t accept this calf, or else people will say
That a blemished animal may still be offered anyway”
So as an alternative some of the Rabbi’s said,
“Let’s just execute Bar Kamtza, cause if he were dead
The Ceaser would never suspect his calf has been rejected
And then from the wrath of Rome, Israel will be protected.”
But once again it was Rabbi Zecharaiah the son
Of Avkulas, who spoke and said, “This should not be done
Or else people may be led to think that any guy
Who blemishes a Temple offering deserves to die.”
So with no other options and their backs against the wall
The Rabbi’s just decided they would do nothing at all
They rejected the offering the king had tried to give
And though they knew his evil plan, they let Bar Kamtza live
And so the meekness of those Rabbis led to Ceaser’s wrath
Lord knows how many lost their lives in the aftermath
Our holy Temple was destroyed by the king of Rome
And the few Jews who survived were exiled from their home
From this story we see the great danger of shame
From one person’s humiliation all this evil came
And so today I pray we may be spared from baseless hate
And find it in our hearts to love, before its to late
Let’s stop with the hate, before it’s too late
The damage we’ve done is already so great
Let’s stop with the hate, for hatred led straight
To our own destruction on this very date
Let’s stop with the hate, when we humiliate
Other people just look at the harm we create
Let’s stop with the hate, there’s no time to wait
Love is a much better way to relate