Today is one of the few set fast days. Today is the 17th of Tammuz there are many reasons this fast is held. This is the original date that is believed that Moshe smashed the Ten Commandments. This is calculated from the fact that it was the 3rd of month preceding Tammuz that Moshe went up the mountain on the 7th of the month. This would make Tammuz 17th 40 days after Moshe went up the mountain. Moshe smashed the Tablets because the Hebrews were worshiping a golden calf after he spent 40 days with ADONAI to get the foundation for the Israeli’ legal code from the D’var ADONAI.

This fast begins at sunrise and ends at sundown on the 17th of Tammuz unlike most feasts and fast that go from sundown to sundown. This fast precedes Tish B’av (the day we mourn the destruction of the first and second temples). Following the Fast of Tammuz is a three week fast leading up to Tish B’av in commemoration of the destruction of the first and second temples.

This fast comes 40 days after Shavuot which is 50 days after Passover which falls on Nisan 15th.. This is a full three months after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Mitzrayim) making it the fourth month. Rabbi Akiva points out that the fast falls in the fourth month since its 90 days from Nisan 16th the beginning of the count of the Omer.

The fast was originally on the ninth and moved to the 17th after the destruction of the second temple on the 17th. This change is due to their being some discrepencies between the Jerusalem Talmud and the Book of Jeramiah. The Babylonian Talmud dates the tragedies of the idol and Tamid offerings to the first temple, while placing the breach of Jerusalems walls to the second temple. The breach of the walls of Jerusalem during the first temple period happened on the 9th of Tammuz according to Jeramiah 39:2; 52:6-7, however the Jerusalem Talmud (Taanit IV,5) states the breach occured on the 17th of Tammuz. The Jerusalem Talmud explains that the biblical record was distorted due to trouble times.

Apparently this day has much history of being a tragic day in the Jewish past. Five calamities happened on this day in Jewish History:

1. Moshe smashed the two tablets with the writings of D’var Adonai, the ten commandments on Mount Sanai.
2. The walls of Jerusalem were breached on this same day before the destruction of the second temple.
3. One time during the first temple period the daily Tamid offerings ceased to be brought because they had ran out of Kosher animals to sacrifice.
4. Fast forward there in time preceding the Bar Kohkba Revolt a Roman general named Apustamos set a Torah Scroll on fire.
5. And even another time that someone place a pagan idol in the temple during the First Temple period.

“Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables. When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”  He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.” It happened, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.” Exodus 32:-19

From the worship of a golden calf, to the burning of a Torah Scroll and even placing a pagan idol in the Temple. This appears to be a day that begun many great tragedied and acts of rebellion to the D’var ADONAI. Whether you fasting food or water, or plan to fast the next 30 days or not we should remember the history and The Babylonian Talmud (Taanit 28b) places the second and fifth tragedies in the First Temple, while dating the third tragedy (breach of Jerusalem) to the Second Temple period.

Jerusalem of the First Temple, on the other hand, was breached on the 9th of Tammuz (Jeremiah 39.2, 52.6–7). However, the Jerusalem Talmud (Taanit IV,5) says that the breach of Jerusalem in the First Temple occurred on the 17th Tammuz as well; the text in Jeremiah 39 is explained by stating that the Biblical record was “distorted” due to the troubled times. This story is one we should tell to our children and our children’s children to remember, to honor the temple and to pray for it to be restored before Meshiach returns.

Related articles

• Weekly Torah Portion: Matot ”Tribes” and Shivah Asar B’Tammuz “The 17th of Tammuz” (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• Weekly Torah Portion: Balak | בלק | “Balak” (paradoxparables.wordpress.com)
• This Weeks Torah Portion – Matot (Tribes) (terri0729.wordpress.com)

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