On page 9B the gemara asks was there no sinas chinam in the period of the first Temple? The Gemara then quotes a verse from Yechaskal (21:17) showing that there was sinas chinam during the first Temple but later the Gemara concludes that this verse shows that there only was sinas chinam amohg the leaders, not among the general poulation. Why does the Gemara choose this verse from Yechskal and not quote verses from Yermivahu 9 for example verse 9:7 (the haftara for Tisha B'Av) which seems to me to talk about sinas chinam as much as or more than the verse quoted in the Gemara from Yechskal. What am I missing either in my understanding of the Gemara or in my understanding of the verse in Yermiyahu?
Jeffrey Feldman, Brooklyn, NY USA
Although the Gemara will sometimes bring many questions and give the same answer, the Gemara will sometimes not even bother asking the other questions, as its established answer will clearly answer the other possible questions. This is a case in point, where the Gemara would clearly have been able to say that the Pasuk in Yirmiyahu is also talking about the leaders and not the general populace.
Take Care,
Yaakov Montrose