Tonight – in Dnipro, this will be at 1:51 AM on July 2 – the fast of the 17th of Tamuz begins. Jews around the world observe this fast in memory of many tragic events, especially the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem. The fast ends at 9:27 PM Dnipro time.
The fast lasts throughout the daylight hours, as defined by “zmanim” – the halachic times.
The Fast of 17 Tamuz includes prohibitions on eating, drinking, and all forms of physical pleasure – as with other fasts according to Jewish law.
This fast marks the beginning of the three weeks of mourning, known as “Bein HaMetzarim,” which culminate in another strict fast, the 9th of Av. The 17th of Tamuz begins a time of sorrow, “the days of distress,” during which it is not customary to rejoice, hold weddings or celebrations, buy or wear new clothes, eat the first fruits of the year, or cut one’s hair. One may not listen to music, for the Levites no longer sing in the Temple. This deep three-week mourning period is a tribute to the sad events that deprived the Jews of freedom and independence for millennia.
On the 17th of Tamuz, many calamities befell the Jewish people. For example, it was on the 17th of Tamuz in the year 2448 from Creation that Moses broke the Tablets of the Covenant.
On the 17th of Tamuz 3338, the daily offerings in the Temple ceased during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.
Four hundred ninety years later, on the same date, the 17th of Tamuz 3828, after a six-month siege, the Roman army breached the walls of Jerusalem, and street fighting began, during which approximately one million Jews were killed and the Second Temple was destroyed.
These are only the most well-known of the grim events that occurred on this day at different turns of the historical spiral. In synagogues, after the three sections of “admonition” from the Book of Prophets read during the “Three Weeks,” we will read seven sections of “consolation,” in which the prophet Isaiah foretells the complete Redemption with the coming of the righteous Moshiach.
During these days, it is customary to exercise special caution, for example, to avoid dangerous places such as swimming pools, beaches, extreme sports, tourist activities, and the like. It is recommended not to undergo surgeries or other medical interventions that can be postponed during these three weeks.
From the 17th of Tamuz until the 9th of Av, additional restrictions are placed on things that bring joy and pleasure, with the strictness of the prohibitions increasing as the 9th of Av approaches.
