stillsmallvoice
July 16th 2003, 08:32 AM
Hi all!
Tonorrow is the 17th day of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, a first light (04:19 in Jlem tomorrow morning) to nightfall fast, one of 4 such "half" fast days on our calendar. It is the "fast of the fourth [month]" referred to in Zechariah 8:19. It commemorates when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 70 CE (some say that the walls were breached by the Babylonians in 586 BCE on the 17th of Tammuz as well, some say that this was on the 9th of the month). Our Sages also teach that Moses smashed the first set of the Ten Commandments on the 17th of Tammuz. (See http://www.ou.org/yerushalayim/17betammuz/default.htm for a very good introduction to the 17th of Tammuz.) We'll read Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10 during morning & afternoon prayers tomorrow & Isaiah 55:6-56:8 (one of my favorite readings!) during afternoon prayers; special penitential & confessional prayers are added to tomorrow morning's prayers.
The 17th of Tammuz begins a three-week mourning period leading up to the 'round-the-clock (just like Yom Kippur) fast on the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av (August 7), which commemorates the destruction of the Temples. As of tomorrow, there will be no weddings or parties, no hair cuts & no shaving. As of the 1st of Av (July 30), we will not eat meat or drink alcohol (except on the Sabbath), or go to the beach.
Zechariah 8:19-23 discusses the Messianic era when the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, "shall be to the House of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons." May this be soon, in our days!
Be well!
ssv :hi:
Tonorrow is the 17th day of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, a first light (04:19 in Jlem tomorrow morning) to nightfall fast, one of 4 such "half" fast days on our calendar. It is the "fast of the fourth [month]" referred to in Zechariah 8:19. It commemorates when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 70 CE (some say that the walls were breached by the Babylonians in 586 BCE on the 17th of Tammuz as well, some say that this was on the 9th of the month). Our Sages also teach that Moses smashed the first set of the Ten Commandments on the 17th of Tammuz. (See http://www.ou.org/yerushalayim/17betammuz/default.htm for a very good introduction to the 17th of Tammuz.) We'll read Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10 during morning & afternoon prayers tomorrow & Isaiah 55:6-56:8 (one of my favorite readings!) during afternoon prayers; special penitential & confessional prayers are added to tomorrow morning's prayers.
The 17th of Tammuz begins a three-week mourning period leading up to the 'round-the-clock (just like Yom Kippur) fast on the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av (August 7), which commemorates the destruction of the Temples. As of tomorrow, there will be no weddings or parties, no hair cuts & no shaving. As of the 1st of Av (July 30), we will not eat meat or drink alcohol (except on the Sabbath), or go to the beach.
Zechariah 8:19-23 discusses the Messianic era when the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, "shall be to the House of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons." May this be soon, in our days!
Be well!
ssv :hi: