B''SD
10 Tevet 5772
**Today is the taanit (fast) of Asara be'Tevet. The taanit ends at 5:27 pm in New York.
Today is the fast of Asara be'Tevet. The tenth of Tevet is the day which the siege of Yerushalayim began, marking the beginning of the whole chain of calamities which befell upon Benei Yisrael, which finally ended with the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash.Rambam in Hilkhot Ta'anit, perek 5 explains, 'The essential significance of thefast of the Tenth of Tevet, as well as that of the other fast days, is not primarily the grief and mourning which they evoke. Their aim is rather to awaken thehearts towards repentance; to recall to us, both the evil deeds of ourfathers, and our own evil deeds, which caused anguish to befall both them andus and thereby to cause us to return towards the good…..'
The Hayei Adam writes in Klal 33 that 'The aim offasting, therefore, is to subjugate our evil inclination by restriction ofpleasure; to open our hearts and stir us to repentance and good deedsthrough which the gates of Divine mercy might be opened for us.'
He continues: 'Therefore, each person is obligated toexamine his deeds and to repent during these days. As it is written of the people of Nineveh: 'And the Lord saw their actions' (Yonah 3), upon which our Rabbis say: 'It is not said, He saw their sackcloth and fasting, but rather their actions ' (Ta'anit 22). Hence, We see hence that the purpose offasting is repentance.'
The purpose of this day, and all other fast daysis not to simply refrain from eating; it is rather a day to disconnect fromworldly matters and to look inside ourselves and reflect. We must consider whyit was that the Beit HaMikdash was taken away from us and orient our actions inorder to be zokhe to see it rebuilt. This is a powerful day for Teshuva. Sitdown and consider what actions and midot we could work on and how we can betterperfect our Avodat HaShem.
Be'ezrat HaShem Yitbarakh, in the zekhut of thista'anit, may we be zokhim to bring Mashiah ben David bi'mehera beyamenu and to rebuildand rejoice in the Beit Hamikdash bekarov, Amen!
Have an easy and meaningful fast!
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-Smile Eshet Hayil! :D
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