Fast Times: Asara B'Tevet

By Hillel Skolnick
Brandeis University ‘06

Recently I attended a ceremony here at Brandeis for Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. It was a touching way to begin one of the many cycles of the Jewish calendar, this one being the cycle of events which commemorate the Holocaust every year. This particular cycle culminates with Yom HaShoah in the spring.

Another cycle of our calendar is that of the hagim. But for the moment, I would like to focus on the cycle of fast days which line our year. While the most well known fast day is Yom Kippur, there are five other public fast days which come throughout the year, not including the fast of the first born (the day preceding the Passover seder).

Two of the five mark individual events in the year: the assasination of Gedalya, a Jewish governor killed by a fellow Jew, and the fast of Esther. The other three commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Asarah b'Tevet, Shiv'ah Asar b'Tamuz, and Tish'ah b'Av each remind us of a different stage of that tragic event.

The first, rapidly approaching on the calendar, is Asarah b'Tevet (the 10th day of the month of Tevet), the day when the Romans laid siege to the walls of Jerusalem, which eventually came crashing down on Shiv'ah Asar b'Tamuz (the 17th day of the month of Tamuz). And of course, the Temple itself was destroyed on Tish'ah b'Av (the 9th day of the month of Av). These days reflect a major function of the Jewish calendar -- to commemorate and appreciate the importance of loss and to give our community an opportunity to grieve together.

But there is another connection between Kristallnacht and the upcoming fast day of Asarah b'Tevet. The message of the program, as is the case with most every Holocaust program, is to never forget. What I want to suggest to you is that this responsibility extends beyond the Holocaust. Many tragedies have befallen the Jews throughout our history, and while the Holocaust is certainly the worst of them all, we cannot just declare that our work is done. The Jewish calendar extends to us a perfect opportunity to do just this. This Asarah b'Tevet, go out and explore for yourself, or perhaps even teach someone else, about the meaning of the day, and why it is a fast day. This encounter with Jewish history will enrich the day and enrich you as well.

I wish you all a meaningful fast.

[Posted 12/5/02]