WORD OF THE MONTH

A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem... 

This Sunday is Shiv'a Asar b'Tammuz, one of the four fasts associated with the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. Specifically, it marks the breach of the city of Jerusalem following a period of siege. (In the time of first CHURBAN, the breach of the city was on the 9th of Tammuz. For the second Mikdash, the date was 17.) Other tragedies are linked to the date, among them being "Moshe smashed the LUCHOT on the 17th of Tammuz". (Sin of the Golden Calf.) When this fast (and 10 Tevet and Tzom Gedalya) were accepted as obligatory, our Sages allowed several leniencies.

[1] The fast begins at dawn, rather than right before sundown the evening before.

[2] They restricted eating and drinking only, and not the other INUYIM of Yom Kippur and Tish'a b'Av. [3] They allowed people with weak constitutions (because of pregnancy, nursing, general weaker condition) not to fast (with quicker permission to eat or drink compared to the two "full" fasts. The fast begins (Jerusalem) at 3:45am and ends at 8:15ish.