Tha Fasting of 10 Tevet
Fasting, 10 Tebeth
A day in which several tragedies in Jewish history and will be commemorated this year
Friday, December 17.
On 10 Tevet marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, which would lead to
destruction of the Temple and exile. Tevet 10, is one of four fast days that commemorate
dark periods of Jewish history. The other three days are the 9th of Av (the day of destruction
two Temples in Jerusalem), on 17 Tammuz (the day of the first breach in the walls of Jerusalem
by Titus and the Roman legions in AD 70) and 3 Tishrei (the day of the assassination of Gedalia ben
A'hiqam, the governor of Judea appointed by Babylon. He was actually killed on Rosh Hashanah, but
because of the party, the fast was postponed to next day).
On 10 Tevet marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and
the first attacks of the battle that would destroy the city and the Temple of Solomon, and see also
from the Jews for 70 years exile in Babylon. The 10th of Tevet has been reported by
prophet Ezekiel, who was already in Babylon because it was among the first group of Jewish exiles
by Nebuchadnezzar eleven years before the destruction of the Temple.
Tevet 10, is considered a day of fasting very important and very strict, so much so that
is observed even if it falls on a Friday (the eve of Shabbos), while our other fast days are
calculated so that they never fall on a Friday, so as not to interfere with preparations for
Shabbos.
Rabbinical authorities have chosen to include the commemoration of the Shoah to 10 Tevet.
The rabbis have tried to link the days of fasting were other tragic events of
so as not to load the schedule too many days of sorrow. Thus the massacre of
Jewish communities of Worms, and Mainz Speyers by the Crusaders in 1096 is commemorated at the
Fast of 9th of Av, though this destruction has taken place in other months.
This tends to reduce the number of days commemorating events became a dark
common practice in the Jewish world until the Shoah. However, the magnitude of the tragedy of the Shoah
is unprecedented in the history of the Jewish people in diaspora,