Asara Betevet – 10th of Tevet

Our second exile (After Galoot Mitzraim) started on this date the 10^th of Tevet (about 2,435 years ago). The Babylonians began the siege of Yerushalaim. During the Third years the Babylonian were able to breach through the walls of Yerushalaim and three weeks after they des troyed Beit Hamikdash

Chazal tell us that the first Beit Hamikdash was destroyed for three reasons, Avoda Zara, Gilui Arayot, Shfichut Damim. We also see a remez (Hint) for this exile in the Torah in sefer Dvarim perek 29, Pasuk 27, “Vayashlichem el Eretz Acheret” (And he will throw them into another land) and right before it, the pasuk says “Vayitashem Hashem me-al admatam be-af, ubechema, ubeketzef gadol (and Hashem, in anger, fury and incensed with indignation, will uproot them from their land and he will throw them out into another land), we see three languages being used to describe the Anger of Hashem, “be-af, ubechema, ubeketzef gadol” (“fury and incensed with indignation”), each word goes for one Avera (sin) that Beit Hamikdash was destroyed for.

Usually when one nation conquer another nation they annex them into their nation and convert/assimilate them by force, but now for the first time in History we see a Nation that lived in its country for 850 years, then thrown away to a different land and still kept it’s religion and identity. Our truth is what kept us together and united through all the exiles and that is what the nations of the world are struggling to understand…

Indeed we are human beings and we make mistakes but Hashem’s hands are always open for us and as Chazal say Hashem is sitting and waiting, giving us 70, 80, 90 years maybe one day, just one, we will do Teshuva. So much that the Chazal say, make Teshuva one moment before you leave this world and you are guaranteed to have Olam Haba.

We don’t see that other nations in the world make days to commemorate their destruction and losts except for the Jews. As Jews we understand that “Bishvili nivra haOlam” the world was created for me, and if something bad happens in the world it is because I am not behaving the right way towards my fellows and the people around me. It’s a Halacha meforeshet(explicit Halacha) that our fast days are mainly to do Teshuva and start again the right way.

Imagine a world where we don’t have to worry, no medical problems, no financial problems, no stress, just sit and enjoy the world, raise kids, learn the Torat Hashem, and simply have a worryfree life. There was once a time that we had that, first and second Beit Hamikdash and soon the Third one b”H, however the only way to get there is by returning to the source of Good, our Aba Shebashamaim.

The Navi (Zecharia) says that all fast days will in the future to come(the time of Mashiach) be days of Simcha and happiness to Am Israel. Why is that? B”H Beit Hamikdash will be built again however why do we need to make those fast days, days of simcha.

The answer can be that at the time of the Geula we will understand how all this pain we suffered was just part of the plan, a 6000 year plan that Hashem had for us and just like many of us went through times of controversies in their life and later on thanked God for going through them, so will we do when finally Hashem will open our eyes to see the big picture.

Let’s all be mitchazkim and take something tiny upon ourself in the Fast, where it’s a person towards Hashem or person towards another person. The biggest changes start with the smallest steps.

Shavua Tov, Meaningful fast!