B"H
Tuesday, Tevet 10, 5779 / December 18, 2018
Today, (Tuesday) is the 10th day in the Hebrew month Tevet. It is a fast day, called Asara B’Tevet.
Q. What happened on the 10th of Tevet?
A. On the 10th of Tevet in the year 3336 (-425), Nebuchadnezar, king of Babylon, began his siege on Jerusalem. It ended in the year 3338 (-423), with the destruction of the first Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) and the exile of Jews from Israel to Babylon.
Though Nebuchadnezar's mighty army laid siege to Jerusalem, the small Jewish army within its walls inflicted heavy losses on their attackers. Despite starvation in the city, they fought heroically for two and a half years. Finally, on the 17th of Tammuz, Nebuchadnezar's army breached the walls of Jerusalem. Three weeks later, on the 9th of Av, they set fire to the Holy Temple.
The First Temple was built by King Solomon four hundred and forty years after the Jewish people came to Israel. That Temple stood for 410 years until it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezar.
Q. Is there any connection between this week’s Parsha, Vayechi, and the tragedies of this day?
A. In the Parsha Yaakov makes his son Joseph swear that after Yaakov’s passing, he will carry him out of Egypt and bury him in the family burial plot in Hebron. Yaakov tells Joseph, “Although, I know that you have a heart on me that I buried your mother, Rachel, at the side of the road in Betlehem and didn’t bury her in the family burial plot, I had a good reason for this. I knew that one day the Jewish people will be exiled from Jerusalem at the time of the destruction of the Temple, they will, on the way out of Jerusalem, pass by her grave.Rachel will then pray for them, thus invoking G-d’s mercy upon them.
Q. How many fast days are there throughout the year and which are they?
A. There are six fast days during the year. The order of the fasts as they occur in the Hebrew calendar are: Tzom Gedaliya - Fast of Gedaliya (3rd of Tishrei); Yom Kippur (10th of Tishrei); Asara B'Tevet (10th of Tevet); Ta'anit Esther - Fast of Esther (13th of Adar); Shiva Asar B'Tammuz (17th of Tammuz); Tisha B'Av (9th of Av).
The Code of Jewish Law states the reason for these fasts: "The purpose of the fast is to stir our hearts to repentance and to remind us of our own misdeeds, as well as those of our ancestors, which brought upon them, as well as upon us, all these troubles. Remembering these events encourages us to improve our ways."
The Prophets tell us that these fast days will be suspended when Moshiach comes and will, in fact, become days of happiness, rejoicing and festivity. May it be speedily in our days. Amen.
HAVE A GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY SUCCESSFUL & WONDERFUL DAY