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BEGIN WITH A GRIN

A group of scientists ran a study which discovered that man could go his entire life without eating.

The only drawback they found is that his entire life wouldn’t be very long as he would die of starvation…

ON LIFE SUPPORT

This upcoming Shabbos is unique. Besides for the fact that we are going to finish the Book of Bereishis, this is the only Shabbos in the Hebrew calendar where we will fast (at least for an hour or two)! The fast of the Tenth of Teves falls on Friday, and although every child knows that we don’t fast on Shabbos (certainly not a fast connected with destruction and exile), we nevertheless continue the fast of the Tenth of Teves after Shabbos begins and after the evening prayer, resulting in us fasting for some time during Shabbos itself.

The reason for this lies in the words of the prophet Yechezkel regarding the events of this day. But before the prophet’s words, a little history and general background to the events of the Tenth of Teves. King Tzidkiyahu was only 21-years-old when he ascended to the unstable throne of the Kingdom of Yehuda. It was the year 3327 from the creation of the world (2,447 years ago), and he ascended to the throne by the grace of Nevuchadnezzar, king of Bavel.

After Nevuchadnezzar’s victory over the king of Egypt, Pharaoh Necho, he laid siege to Yerushalayim. To save the city and the Beis Ha’Mikdash, the king at the time, Yechonya, surrendered to the forces of the king of Bavel. The conqueror plundered the treasures of the Mikdash and the king’s house and imposed a heavy tax on the land of Yehuda. He deposed King Yechonya and appointed his nephew Mattania in his place. He changed his name to Tzidkiyahu to remind him of his oath to avoid any attempt to remove Bavel’s yoke.

Afterward, Nevuchadnezzar returned to Bavel, taking with him into captivity the deposed king as well as royal ministers, senior government officials, army chiefs, and also Torah scholars. This exile is known as the “Exile of Yechonya” or the “Exile of the Craftsmen and Gatekeepers.”

King Tzidkiyahu ignored the warnings of the prophet Yirmiyahu and formed a secret alliance with the king of Egypt, hoping that together they could liberate themselves from Babylonian guardianship. In the ninth year of his reign, Tzidkiyahu declared open rebellion against Bavel, relying on Egypt’s promised help. This surprised Nevuchadnezzar, who was very angry that Tzidkiyahu had broken his oath. He set out with a large army to suppress the rebellion and established his headquarters in the city of Rivla, from where he sent his army’s chief commander, Nevuzaradan the chief executioner, at the head of a heavy force that went up and besieged Yerushalayim. It was the Tenth of Teves when Nevuzaradan surrounded Yerushalayim and laid siege to the holy city.

About that day, the prophet Yechezkel, who was in Bavel at the time, prophesied, “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day – the king of Bavel has laid siege to Yerushalayim this very day” (Yechezkel 24:2). The words “this very day” (es etzem ha’yom ha’zeh) remind us of Yom Kippur, about which the Torah says “this very day.” The unique characteristic of Yom Kippur is that even when it falls on Shabbos, one must fast on it, because the Torah establishes in unambiguous words that one must fast on “this very day” specifically and must not postpone the holy fast!

The Avudraham writes that the words “this very day,” said in the prophetic text to Yechezkel, come to teach us that the fast of the Tenth of Teves must be observed in any case, regardless of which day it falls on, and even if the Tenth of Teves would fall on Shabbos – one must fast on it just like on Yom Kippur!

According to our fixed calendar, the Tenth of Teves will never fall on Shabbos, but it can fall on Friday, as it does this year, and then the fast extends a bit into Shabbos.

FULLY SUPPORTIVE

So far, we’ve discussed the negative and severe aspect of the Tenth of Teves fast, but along with that, this fast also contains something positive, very positive.

A renewed look at the words of the prophet Yechezkel quoted above raises wonder and amazement. The prophet describes the siege with the words: “samach melech Bavel,” the literal and simple meaning of the word “samach” in this context is “approached,” Nebuchadnezzar approached Yerushalayim. But the word “samach” has an additional, completely different meaning. “Samach” hints at ‘support’ or ‘leaning.’ And here’s the question that cries out to heaven: Did Nevuchadnezzar support Yerushalayim?! This sounds ridiculous, like the United Nations’ “support” of the Israeli government. Why does the prophet use the word “samach” to describe a siege?! Maybe every time someone slaps us, we should call it a caress?!

In a sicha of divrei kivushin (words of inspiration to teshuva on a fast day) 5744, given in the same calendar configuration as this year, the Rebbe explained these things. The action of the siege resulted in the unity of Israel because everyone had to stay together. When we have the option whether to unite or separate, sometimes (often) we prefer separation, thinking we’ll achieve greater accomplishments this way, that we’ll be able to express ourselves more strongly, that we’ll gain political or other benefits, and therefore we prefer to disconnect.

The truth is that separating and disconnecting from others are not the answer, and they have never brought or will bring any achievement or profit, but in our false imagination, we’re sure this is the way. G-d, as known, provides the cure before the illness. Therefore, even before the destruction, before the exile, He had already prepared the solution and the answer – siege!

The siege brings, inevitably, unity among all parts of the nation, such unity that negates and cancels the cause of exile, baseless hatred.

The word “samach” also reminds us of the famous verse from the “Ashrei” prayer, “Hashem supports (somech) all who fall.” Even when we’re in a state of “falling” (G-d forbid) when the situation is ‘in your face,’ and it seems to us that we’re sinking into depression, we always have special help and assistance from above, and sometimes this assistance comes from the most bizarre place, and from the person we least expected it from – Nevuchadnezzar!

And from here we have the strength today to strengthen ourselves, gather courage, and act for the true and complete redemption. This is why the prophet Yechezkel uses the words “samach melech Bavel,” because even the wicked king of Babylon conveys to the Jewish people through his very presence a deep message: The Jewish people have strength! The Jewish people have support!

When a Jew understands the inner meaning of the fast, they realize that the depth of the fast is something good, assistance and support, encouragement and notification: You have the power to unite with another Jew! You have the power to rise above!

TO CONCLUDE WITH A STORY

And we’ll end with a famous Chassidic story about the true meaning of fasting. This story appears in a sicha of the Rebbe Rayatz (Sefer HaSichos 5704, page 113 in Hebrew):

A certain Chassid came to the Rebbe Maharash for a private audience and complained that he was cunning, that he was crafty and did everything craftily. The Rebbe Maharash told him to fast six hundred fasts! The Chassid stood stunned.

The Maharash said to him: “What do you think? That a fast means not eating from sunrise to sunset? That’s called ‘losing weight’ (dieting)!

“A fast is work. Think fifteen minutes every day about yourself, hold your tongue from speaking, the intention is not to think divrei Elokim chaim [= Chassidic teachings] but simply to think about yourself.”

That Chassid changed completely from one extreme to the other, and so, with Hashem’s help, will we too.

Good Shabbos!

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