Okay, so the grammar of this article's title ain't right, but the message from the old Pogo comic strip is clear. Ever since Jacob and Esau traded perks for lentils, we Jews have been on each other's case.

Thank God that He not only gave us a talent to sin but also granted us an even greater flair for guilt. There is no better example of our ability in indulge in self-reproach than Tisha B'Av, when we invoke memories of sadness over the destruction of the Holy Temples.

You would think we would have it in for the Babylonians and Romans, whose armies defeated us and turned the Temple into an employment opportunity for future archeologists.

But our rabbis taught that the armies were agents of God - Who knew we deserved it. The Torah sages teach that our sins of idol worship, killing and illicit sexual relations caused the demise of the First Temple.

We had atoned by the time of the Second Temple, but it also fell, this time because of plain, senseless hatred of each other.

The sages further teach that lashon hara - speaking badly about others, was the primary vehicle of that self-hatred.

The Jews of 2,000 years ago did not invent Zionist lashon hara. The originators were the first "journalists" to "cover" Israel: the 10 spies who said the Promised Land was just a promise.

Nothing much, it seems, has changed since except the dates on the newspapers, which spare no ink to try to disprove the prayer book's phrase that "all Israel are friends."

The media teaches us that Binyamin Netanyahu hates Ehud Olmert, Olmert hates Yossi Beilin, Beilin hates Shimon Peres, Peres hates Ariel Sharon, Sharon hates Netanyahu, and everyone hates the Sephardim and the settlers.

Newspapers, of course, simply are the agents of God, at least that's what they would like us to think. The truth is that the media is the prime perpetrator of hate and incitement.

In all fairness, just as Eve told God it was all the snake's fault for tempting her, the media can rightfully blame the legal system itself for encouraging hate, jealousy and distrust.

We can't expect the press to abide by the Jewish law against lashon hara when civil law permits it. The most blatant example is allowing publication of the names of those the police are investigating.

Our newspapers, radio and television have reported countless police investigations casting doubt on the integrity of officials who were subsequently not charged for lack of evidence. Prime examples are former president Ezer Weizman and Prime Minister Sharon.

Jewish law against lashon hara prohibits saying bad things, even if true, about someone else unless it has some positive result.

This is very subjective, but as I understand it, I can write, "The police have filed bribery charges against the Minister of Whatever" because even if the minister later is declared innocent, he should not serve in office if there is so much evidence against him.

But Jewish law prevents me from writing, "The police are investigating if there is evidence to charge the Minister of Whatever with bribery."
There is no benefit to the public in knowing that a government official or politician is a possible suspect.

The opposite is true. If it turns out the police have no evidence against him, the reported suspicion, no matter how unfounded, will limit his ability to function.

The media is also guilty of incitement, and this time it can blame only itself. The newspapers, radio, television, and Internet often spread false or vague accusations against would-be inciters.

The most flagrant example is Israel Radio's reportage of former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu's speech to Likud supporters, in which he repeated the words "They are afraid," referring to the Labor Party and media fear that he would be elected.

Netanyahu led the crowd of supporters in a rabble-rousing cadence. The radio made a point of broadcasting it two or three times an hour, compared the chorus to a militant rally, then excitedly ask its own political reporters: "Isn't Bibi guilty of incitement?"

If it was incitement to a few hundred Likudniks, why did the electronic press repeat it so often to hundreds of thousands?

The radio once even managed to put the blame for its own malady on weather forecasters. In 1991, Reshet Bet repeated over and over a prediction of heavy snow for two or three days. The public started stockpiling rations. When the snow didn't materialize, a radio announcer - presumably with a straight face - accused the government weather office of causing the public to panic.

If the media really wants to make society better and reduce senseless hatred, it can start examining itself before castigating fellow Jews.

First of all, the press should be aware of its natural urge to report every piece of dirt on public officials.

It should push for a change in the law to prohibit outright slander of people whose only "crime" is that the police are interrogating the Minister of Whatever because Abe said he sells heroin, has three wives, or bribed the prime minister to buy falafel from Yosi, who just happens to have a lawsuit pending against Abe.

Secondly, the press needs to do some soul-searching. It justifies slander and incitement on the assumption that it knows which politician or policy is best for the country.

But we readers and listeners should also check ourselves out. Perhaps the media really are God's agents.

That's what we deserve for buying the tabloids and turning on the radio and TV. It's food for thought on Tisha B'Av.

Views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.

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