OK, another vort from R' Zelig ztl,
The anivus of R Zecharya ben avtilas was machriv the BHMKDSH.
Why is it anivus? maybe lack of foresight... but why anivus
He quoted a vort from the gra, That R ZbA sat on the side of the sanhedrin, even though he was the Gadol. So he paskened first, and once he paskened no one could or would dispute his psak, so his anivus did not allow for the correct decision to be made.
He said that this is not poshut pshat. Ikur chaser from the Gemara. then said his own:
Of course, the right thing to do under normal circumstances was to bring the korbon or kill Bar Kamtza. It was pikuach nefesh, major way.
But R' ZbA decided that the BHMKDSH was anyway going to be destroyed. The yiddin were in shambles. Going down the toilet as Bardichev says, with Sheefa Tashin. The writing was already on the wall. The disaster was going to happen anyway.
So it was NOT pikuach nefesh. It would make no difference. So, he paskened the way he did.
But he underestimated the Koach of a yid. It is never hopeless. We can always pull out.
that was his mistake and it stemmed from misplaced anivus.
MIR TUR NISHT THROWING IN THE TOWEL VEN ES KIMT TZI RUCHNIYUS (a direct quote from the niftar, btw)
he was a GREAT man.
kutan