Why is the story of the murder of a Kohen and Prophet in the Beit Hamikdash so dominant in the midrashim and in the prayers of Tisha be-Av? The connection between him and the tragedy of Tisha be-Av is quite indirect; why, then, is his murder presented as such a fundamental and important event?
The Sages pinpoint several sins that were themselves the cause of the destruction. Aside from these specific sins, the Sages regarded the nation's refusal to accept rebuke from the prophets as a fundamental factor leading to the great tragedy.
The people would ignore the prophets of God and wave off their warnings with stubbornness and a complacency born of illusion. They convinced themselves that God would not destroy His own Temple. They wished to continue making merry and living their worry-free lives, rejecting out of hand the concept of reward and punishment. Additionally, people of vulgar spirit who were living successful lives were incapable of accepting advice from dusty, wandering moralizers.
For this reason Yirmiyahu mourns for the destruction, which came about mostly because of the nation's inability to listen to the prophets and their messages. Every individual always has the ability to repent, thereby avoiding punishment and destruction. But the moment he shuts himself off and blocks his ears, the road to repentance is closed.
