The fast from Tevet

It is written in Zechariah 8:19:

"Thus said the Creator, the fourth fast and the fifth fast and the seventh fast and the tenth fast, will be for the house of Judah rejoicing, joy and happy feasts."

Our great sages explained that this was said in reference to the four obligatory fasts:

Fourth Fast: with reference to the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, the fourth month of the year.

Fifth Fast: on the 9th of Ab, fifth month of the year.

Seventh Fast: on the 3rd of Tishrei, seventh month of the year.

Tenth Fast: on the 10th of Tevet, tenth month of the year.

Consequently, the tenth fast is "Asara be Tevet" (the 10th of Tevet) which falls on the tenth month of the year starting from the month of Nissan a few days after Hanukkah.

Every Jew must fast on those dates when serious and painful episodes occurred to the people of Israel, in order to awaken and open their hearts to Teshuva, remembering our evil deeds and those of our ancestors, which caused such bitter suffering.

Thus remembering them we will return and improve our deeds as it is written:
"and they will complete their sins and the sins of their fathers" (Vaikra- Leviticus 26:40)

On this date, the 10th of Tevet, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babel, arrived in Jerusalem with all his armies, besieging and suffocating the Holy City for many months. This marked the beginning of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy House.

May it be the will of our G-d that soon, and in our time, we see the reconstruction of Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash.

(Excerpt from Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Fasting, 10th of Tevet)

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