On Tuesday, Dec 22nd a Fast of The Tenth of Tevet (Asarah Be'Tevet) occured.
On the Tenth of Tevet 2,500 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king began his siege of Jerusalem. Twenty months later on Tish'a Be'Av, the First Temple was destroyed.
But, actually, there was little damage on that first day of the siege. So why has this become a day of fast?
Our sages declared it a public fast, one of four public fast days that memorialize different aspects of the catastrophes and national tragedies associated with the destruction of both Temples.
(Since 1950, in Israel this day also commemorates the victims of the Holocaust and is called "Yom Hakaddish Ha'klali").
Actually The Fast of Asarah B'Tevet is quite unique. For example, exclusive to this fast is that it is the only one that we do actually observe as a fast on a Friday.
Even Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the actual destructions of the Temple gets pushed off.
Yet, obviously, to maintain this distinction of being the only Fast Day that we actually do observe on Friday, there must be much more to the Fast of Asarah B'Tevet than meets the eye.
In seems that Asarah B'Tevet has several exceptional characteristics that are not found in any other fast day.
For instance, according to the AbuDraham, if Asarah B'Tevet would potentially fall out on Shabbat, we would all actually be required to fast on Shabbat.
(In our current Hebrew calendar this is an impossibility).
AbuDraham's statement is perplexing.
How can one of the Rabbinic minor fasts push off the Biblical Shabbat?
Additionally, Asarah B'Tevet commemorates merely the start of the siege, and not any actual destruction.
How can it be considered a more important fast than Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction and loss of both of our Temples?
The Chatam Sofer says that the reason our sages established a fast for the siege on Asarah B'Tevet as opposed to every other time Jerusalem was under siege, is that on that day in the Heavenly Courtroom it was decided that the Temple was to be destroyed a few years hence.
Therefore, he explains, every Asarah B'Tevet the Heavenly Court convenes and decrees a new calamity.
He adds though that, conversely, a fast on Asarah B'Tevet has the potential to avert future calamities.
In the consciousness of People of Israel, a fast day is a time of reckoning, a time to correct something in our past.
But, in the case of Asarah B'Tevet it comes out that we are not fasting exclusively due to past calamities, but rather to help prevent a tragedy from occurring.
That is why the fast of Asarah B'Tevet, even though it is considered a minor fast, nonetheless has the potential to possibly override Shabbat.
These explanations would also certainly elucidate why we would fast on a Friday for Asarah B'Tevet.
And we hope that the words of the Prophet Zechariah,be fulfilled soon.
"The Fast of the Fourth (month, 17th of Tamuz), the Fast of the Fifth (month, Tisha B'Av), the Fast of the Seventh (month, Tzom Gedalyah), and the Fast of the Tenth (month, Asarah B'Tevet) shall be (changed over) for celebration and joy for the household of Yehuda".
by
Orly & Yoel
http://www.ulpanor.com/
On the Tenth of Tevet 2,500 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king began his siege of Jerusalem. Twenty months later on Tish'a Be'Av, the First Temple was destroyed.
But, actually, there was little damage on that first day of the siege. So why has this become a day of fast?
Our sages declared it a public fast, one of four public fast days that memorialize different aspects of the catastrophes and national tragedies associated with the destruction of both Temples.
(Since 1950, in Israel this day also commemorates the victims of the Holocaust and is called "Yom Hakaddish Ha'klali").
Actually The Fast of Asarah B'Tevet is quite unique. For example, exclusive to this fast is that it is the only one that we do actually observe as a fast on a Friday.
Even Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the actual destructions of the Temple gets pushed off.
Yet, obviously, to maintain this distinction of being the only Fast Day that we actually do observe on Friday, there must be much more to the Fast of Asarah B'Tevet than meets the eye.
In seems that Asarah B'Tevet has several exceptional characteristics that are not found in any other fast day.
For instance, according to the AbuDraham, if Asarah B'Tevet would potentially fall out on Shabbat, we would all actually be required to fast on Shabbat.
(In our current Hebrew calendar this is an impossibility).
AbuDraham's statement is perplexing.
How can one of the Rabbinic minor fasts push off the Biblical Shabbat?
Additionally, Asarah B'Tevet commemorates merely the start of the siege, and not any actual destruction.
How can it be considered a more important fast than Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction and loss of both of our Temples?
The Chatam Sofer says that the reason our sages established a fast for the siege on Asarah B'Tevet as opposed to every other time Jerusalem was under siege, is that on that day in the Heavenly Courtroom it was decided that the Temple was to be destroyed a few years hence.
Therefore, he explains, every Asarah B'Tevet the Heavenly Court convenes and decrees a new calamity.
He adds though that, conversely, a fast on Asarah B'Tevet has the potential to avert future calamities.
In the consciousness of People of Israel, a fast day is a time of reckoning, a time to correct something in our past.
But, in the case of Asarah B'Tevet it comes out that we are not fasting exclusively due to past calamities, but rather to help prevent a tragedy from occurring.
That is why the fast of Asarah B'Tevet, even though it is considered a minor fast, nonetheless has the potential to possibly override Shabbat.
These explanations would also certainly elucidate why we would fast on a Friday for Asarah B'Tevet.
And we hope that the words of the Prophet Zechariah,be fulfilled soon.
"The Fast of the Fourth (month, 17th of Tamuz), the Fast of the Fifth (month, Tisha B'Av), the Fast of the Seventh (month, Tzom Gedalyah), and the Fast of the Tenth (month, Asarah B'Tevet) shall be (changed over) for celebration and joy for the household of Yehuda".
by
Orly & Yoel
http://www.ulpanor.com/