Talmud Bavli, Gittin

6 texts in Midrash Aggadah

The Party Invitation That Destroyed Jerusalem

Gittin 55b

The destruction of Jerusalem began with a dinner party. According to Gittin 55b, a man threw a banquet and sent his servant to invite his friend Kamtza. The servant brought Bar Kam...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy

Kamtza and Bar Kamtza Before the Roman Emperor

Gittin 56a

After Bar Kamtza's betrayal, the emperor sent Nero to conquer Jerusalem. According to Gittin 56a, Nero arrived and performed a series of divination tests. He shot arrows in every d...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy

Vespasian Becomes Emperor at the Gates of Jerusalem

Gittin 56b

After Vespasian became emperor, his son Titus completed the destruction of Jerusalem. According to Gittin 56b, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai's famous encounter with Vespasian included ...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy

Titus Stabs the Temple Curtain and Blood Pours Out

Gittin 57a

Titus entered the Holy of Holies after conquering Jerusalem and committed an act of deliberate sacrilege. According to Gittin 57a, he unrolled a Torah scroll on the altar, brought ...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy

The Fate of Rome's Enemies in the Afterlife

Gittin 57b

After the destruction of the Temple, Nebuzaradan, captain of the Babylonian guard under Nebuchadnezzar, found blood bubbling up from the ground in Jerusalem. According to Gittin 57...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy

The Beautiful Children Taken Captive to Rome

Gittin 58a

The verse calls them "the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold" (Lamentations 4:2). According to Gittin 58a, the Jewish children taken captive to Rome after the Temple's ...

Temple destructionRomeExileTragedy