So it's not only the party-giver who hated without cause, after being begged for even a small courtesy for the sake of peace, but the Rabbis who were so exacting in their observance of the minor mitzvot but forgetful of the greater, who set themselves up through pride as the final judges of what's right and wrong, who sowed hatred through their inaction at the first and their actions at the last.
Interesting. Thanks.
This nitpicking over "minor mitzvot" almost (I said "almost") makes an argument for God to do away with the minor technical aspects of the Law.