Fast of Shiva Asar B’Tammuz in Israel 2023: Date, History, Facts about Judaism

The Jewish calendar includes numerous fasting days. According to Rabbi Yehuda Lang, each generation in which the temple is not rebuilt is equivalent to its destruction.

In the Hebrew month of Tammuz (the fourth month), the Fast of Shiva Asar B’Tammuz is observed. This year’s date is July 6. It commemorates several Jewish calamities and marks the beginning of the “Three Weeks” period of mourning. During this period, many Jews observe traditional mourning rituals. On the seventeenth day of Tammuz, five tragic events occurred, which we describe below. Moses shattered the Ten Commandments tablets upon seeing the gilded calf. Jerusalem ceased accepting sacrifices during the Babylonian siege. Apostomos, a Roman commander, destroyed a Torah scroll, and idols were added to the Jerusalem Temple. In 69 A.D., the Romans breached Jerusalem’s fortifications after a fierce battle. According to the Jerusalem Talmud, the Babylonians also breached the city’s defences on this day.

The background of Fast of Shiva Asar B’Tammuz

The Jewish calendar includes numerous fasting days. According to Rabbi Yehuda Lang, each generation in which the temple is not rebuilt is equivalent to its destruction. The purpose of the fasting and prayer is to rectify the cause of the devastation – the disobedience of their ancestors – which makes a fast day a day of opportunity. They want the temple to be reconstructed so that the Messiah can arrive. This third temple is an ardent ideal for modern Orthodox Jews, but its construction on the site of the Temple of the Dome, which was constructed by Arab worshippers, is controversial.

Shiva Asar B’Tammuz is a minor fast day, but it is not a national holiday. There are special prayers recited. During the “Three Weeks,” many Jews begin to observe mourning rituals. This includes forgoing haircuts and hygiene, as well as music and marriage. In addition to avoiding travel, many individuals avoid engaging in dangerous or risky activities.

The fast begins at dawn and concludes at dusk. It is permissible to eat before the fast commences, so long as you do so before going to bed. Before fasting, those who are ill, expectant, or nursing should consult a rabbi. Those who are pregnant or nursing, as well as those who are ill, are expected to observe the fast with prudence, avoiding meat, extravagant foods, and hard liquor. Even if they are not fasting, adolescents who are mature enough to comprehend the significance of the observance should be given only basic foods as a form of education. In contrast to the two Jewish fast days of Tisha B’Av and Yom Kippur, cleaning and donning leather are permitted on this day.

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