They aren't just random dates; each one marks a significant moment of sorrow, a rupture in our history.
The prophet Zechariah, in chapter 8, verse 19, offers a glimmer of hope amidst these somber observances: "Thus has said the L-rd of hosts: The fast of the fourth (month), and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth will be for the house of Judah for joy and for gladness and for goodly festivals." But what are these fasts, and why are they so important?
The Sifrei Devarim, a collection of early halakhic (Jewish legal) midrashim on the Book of Deuteronomy, breaks it down for us.
"The fast of the fourth" refers to the 17th of Tammuz. This is the day the walls of Jerusalem were breached, a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the destruction of the Temple. Then there's "the fast of the fifth" – the 9th of Av, Tisha B'Av, perhaps the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It marks the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. Can you imagine the weight of that collective grief?
"The fast of the seventh" is the 3rd of Tishrei, commemorating the assassination of Gedaliah ben Achikam. Now, Gedaliah might not be a household name, but his death, according to the Sifrei Devarim, is profoundly significant. It tells us that the death of a righteous person is "as grievous to the Holy One Blessed be He as the destruction of the Temple." This is a powerful statement about the value of righteous leadership and the devastating impact of its loss. The assassination by Yishmael ben Netanyah plunged the remaining Jewish community into chaos and despair.
Finally, "the fast of the tenth" – here, there's a bit of a debate. Rabbi Akiva identifies it as the 10th of Tevet, the day the king of Bavel (Babylon) laid siege to Jerusalem. This is supported by the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 24, verses 1-2, where God tells Ezekiel to record the date: "Son of man, write for yourself the name of the day, this very day. The king of Bavel has come against Jerusalem (to besiege it) this very day."
But another opinion, also found in the Sifrei Devarim, offers a different perspective. This view suggests that "the fast of the tenth" actually refers to the 5th of Tevet. Why? Because that was the day the news reached the exiles in Babylonia that Jerusalem had fallen. Ezekiel 33:21 states: "And it was, in the twelfth year of the month on the fifth of the month that a fugitive came to me from Jerusalem, saying 'The city has been conquered.'"
The text emphasizes that upon hearing this devastating news, the exiles "made the day of the hearing (a fast) like the day of the burning." The writer of the Sifrei Devarim even argues that this interpretation is "more cogent" than Rabbi Akiva's, because it follows the chronological order of events, placing the initial siege before the report of the city's fall. The text also notes a regional difference: "in Judah they fast for the act, and in the Galil, for the report."
So, what does all this mean for us today? These fast days aren't just about remembering past tragedies. They are opportunities for introspection, for acknowledging the pain of our history, and for striving to create a better future. They remind us of the fragility of life, the importance of righteous leadership, and the enduring power of hope, even in the face of despair. And perhaps, they offer a path towards fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy of turning these fasts into days of "joy and gladness and goodly festivals."