Posted on 06/29/2010 8:30:55 AM PDT by Jewbacca
The fast of the 17th of Tammuz, known as Shiva Assar B'Tammuz, is the start of a three week mourning period for the destruction of Jerusalem and the two Holy Temples.
The fast actually commemorates five tragic events that occurred on this date:
Moses broke the tablets when he saw the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf.
During the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem, the Jews were forced to cease offering the daily sacrifices due to the lack of cattle.
Apustmus burned the holy Torah.
An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.
The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)
The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple. Practically speaking:
Healthy adults – bar or bat mitzvah age and older – abstain from eating or drinking between dawn and nightfall.
Pregnant and nursing women do not fast. Someone who is ill should consult with a rabbi. Even those exempt from fasting, such as ill people or children, shouldn't indulge in delicacies or sweets.
A fast day is an auspicious day, a day when G-d is accessible, waiting for us to repentIt is permitted to wake up early before the fast begins to grab a bite, provided that prior to going to sleep you had in mind to do so.
During the morning prayers we recite selichot (elegies), printed in the back of the prayerbook. The "long Avinu Malkeinu" is recited during the morning and afternoon prayers.
The Torah is read during the morning and afternoon prayers. The reading – the same for both morning and afternoon – is Exodus 31:11-14; 34:1-10, which discusses the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, how Moses successfully interceded on the Israelites' behalf and attained forgiveness for their sin.
After the afternoon Torah reading, the special fast-day Haftorah, Isaiah 55:6–56:8, is read.
During the amidah of the afternoon prayer, all those who are fasting add a small section, the aneinu, to the Shema Koleinu blessing.
If the 17th of Tammuz falls on Shabbat, the fast is postponed until Sunday. Click here for more about this Shabbat.
Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. On a deeper level, a fast day is an auspicious day, a day when G-d is accessible, waiting for us to repent.
The sages explain: "Every generation for which the Temple is not rebuilt, it is as though the Temple was destroyed for that generation."
A fast day is not only a sad day, but an opportune day. It's a day when we are empowered to fix the cause of that destruction, so that our long exile will be ended and we will find ourselves living in messianic times, may that be very soon.
For the Jewish Freepers who had to work like me.
I am not Jewish but compare the beauty and peacefulness of these traditions -vs- the horrible violence of the “Religion of Peace (tm)”
An ‘easy fast’ to you and all those who are.
Is water allowed?
I avoid it, but if I have to (e.g., get dizzy), I’d drink water.
But I don’t know the specific rule, if there is one.
As a minor aside, this day repeatedly has bad things happen during it: lots of the pogroms in Europe took place on this day to being the day Libya kicked all it Jewish citizens out in 1970.
Interesting. Thanks.
Another interesting historical fact: July 4, 1776 fell on this fast day (17 Tammuz, 5536).
|
|
|||
Gods |
Thanks Jewbacca.The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.) The Jerusalem Talmud maintains that this is also the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. |
||
|
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · Archaeology · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists · |
|||
One of the best fasts.
B’H
Ezekiel has the women weeking for Tammuz in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month (8.14, cf. 8.1)--that should be sometime in mid-August this year. Of course that is Tammuz as the name of a god, not the name of a month.
“weeking for Tammuz” should be “weeping for Tammuz”
No weddings, no parties, no haircuts, no music....just reflection and mourning ‘till Tisha B’Av. Intense Torah study, tzedakah and a deeper bonding with G-d are essential during this time period.
May the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash mark the ultimate redemption, the restoration of harmony within G-d’s creation and between G-d and His creation.
B’H
Man, that’s a couple of thousand years of dedication to remembrance. Is Mazel Tov an appropriate toast to you guys?
Thanks for posting this historical backgrounder on Shiva Assar B’Tammuz. Mazol Tov!
askmoses.com
“Is Mazel Tov an appropriate toast to you guys?”
Probably not. That means “you’ve had good fortune.”
With the exception of 7.7.1776, I can’t think of a good thing that happened this day in history.
Actually, without looking, and noting that this day corresponded to 7.7.1776 on the pagan (yes, pagan, it’s really from Roman times) Gregorian Calendar, I presume the day floats 30 days, give or take, due to the nature of a lunar vs. solar calendar.
Just FWIW
July 4, 1776 is 17 Tammuz 5536.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.