Fasting

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Multiple Reflections Upon the Fast of Tammuz
Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler
תאריך פרסום: תשע"ג | |
Turning to the book of Zekharya, we begin with a question posed to the prophet: are the fast days still to be in place after the exile? An ambiguous and lengthy answer ends with the response that they will be transformed into days of joy. Conspicuously absent in the answer is a time frame. To better understand what is going on, we explore what happened on the day commemorated by the “fast of the fourth month.” Excerpts from poetry of Ibn Gabirol, among other sources, contribute to a richer picture of what the fast day is about.
Purim's Significance a Few Years Later: The Return to Zion
Chazal's Preambles to Megillat Esther: Part 7
Rabbi Moshe Taragin | 17 minutes
This shiur explores linguistic and thematic parallels between Megillat Esther and the Book of Ezra. The two texts share similar events, motifs, and apparatus of recovery in situations of crisis - perhaps most significantly that of fasting. Ezra's confessional prayer seems to suggest that he derives inspiration and hope from God's Hand which, while hidden, is ever-present, as in the events of Megillat Esther.
Yeshayahu 58-60 - Matan Al HaPerek
Rabbi David Sabato
Chapter 58 deals with the question of the nature of Fast Days, and ends with the ideal characteristics of Shabbat.

Chapter 59 describes the redemption as God's kindness toward humanity, whose sins are responsible for the state of the "Hidden Face" of God.

Chapter 60 depicts a bright, spectacular image of redemption, at whose center stands Zion, shining with a precious light.
Zechariah 7-8
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
With the building of the Second Temple and the end of the seventy years of exile, the people began to wonder how to relate to the fast days which were decreed after the destruction of the First Temple. Perek 7 begins with a description of the arrival of a delegation, apparently from the Babylonian exile, to the priests and prophets in Jerusalem in order to ask about one of the fast days (7:1-3). Zechariah’s answer includes several short prophecies which are based on quotes from earlier prophecies of the “former prophets”, mostly from Yirmiyahu. At the beginning and again at the end Zechariah addresses the question of the status of the fast days directly, and in the middle he reviews the past and remembers the early prophecies of doom and then the prophecies of consolation. These prophecies are presented in a chiastic structure and together are designed to deal with this question.
Ezra’s Journey
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
By many measures, Ezra’s journey is a resounding success. With God’s help, he earns the support of the king and hee convinces Jewish leaders to accompany him. His fast and prayer are apparently effective, and his group arrives safely in Jerusalem. After carefully appointing the priests as stewards of the gold, silver, and other materials, those items are delivered safely and precisely accounted for in the Temple.

Despite his successes, though, Ezra confronts significant challenges along the way. The Levites at first are a no-show. Later on in our chapter, Ezra notes that he was required to pray for safety on his trip because he was embarrassed to ask the king for protection. Almost immediately after arriving, Ezra learns that intermarriage is rampant among the Jews

Ultimately, the fact that Ezra was compelled to face a series of challenges extending him beyond his scholarly expertise serves to highlight the extent of his self-sacrifice. It is his willingness to abandon the comforts of his diaspora home to teach Torah to a far-flung, ignorant community – in short, his shelichut – that is the mark of his heroism.
Intermarriage During Shivat Tzion
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
The books of Ezra and Nehemya put a new emphasis on the sin of intermarriage, including seemingly harsh responses. The leaders of Shivat Tzion seem to present the sin somewhat differently than earlier Biblical works.

According to the Torah, exogamy is prohibited so as not to lead one’s children toward idolatry. In contrast, the leaders of Shivat Tzion seem to speak with a different point of emphasis, introducing new terminology implying that the sin is not so much about the concern for idolatry or otherwise sinful lifestyle, but runs counter to the holiness of the Jew, an act of betrayal.

For arguably the first time in history, during the period of Ezra and Nehemya, the temptation of idolatry no longer looms large. Therefore, whereas Devarim and Melakhim tended to stress the lure of paganism, Ezra, Nehemya and Malakhi, no longer confronting this threat, emphasized the inherently objectionable nature of the proscription.

What does emerge with clarity from Ezra-Nehemya is that there are times, especially when the Jewish community faces an existential challenge, when an unyielding approach is necessary. Although many might take offense to such a “heavy-handed” response, sometimes proper leadership demands an approach that closely follows the firm stand taken by Ezra and Nehemya.
Separating From Foreign Wives
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Ezra’s response to the news of intermarriage is at once severe and passive. His actions seem conflicted. The success of the initiative is similarly mixed. At first glance, it appears to be a remarkable triumph. Upon closer examination, however, the people’s commitment appears lukewarm. The fact that Nehemya was repeatedly required to confront the sin implies that Ezra had failed to truly solve the problem.

Ezra was a different type of leader than Nehemya. Whereas Nehemya was a forceful political personality deeply grounded in Torah values, Ezra was first and foremost a brilliant, dedicated scholar. Ezra was not, in essence, a man of action. Only when prodded does Ezra rise to the occasion and move mountains to profoundly shape his community.

The parallels to the Revelation at Sinai teach despite the fact that the community has sinned, repentance creates the possibility of renewed covenantal commitment. Shivat Tzion represents a time of renewed commitment to our relationship with God.
Introduction to Nehemya
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
A cursory glance at the book of Nehemya makes it clear that many of the concerns encountered in Ezra remain relevant in Nehemya: the arrival of a new leader on the scene; opposition from the indigenous population; the importance and challenges of construction; censuses of the olim; and mass ignorance and repentance.

While both Ezra and Nehemya arrive under grave circumstances – each travels to Jerusalem at great personal sacrifice to guide a struggling community – there are a number of obvious differences between the two.

Upon hearing the news of the state of Jerusalem Nehemya launches into prayer. Nehemya, much more so than Ezra, laces his tefilla with rich allusions to prior Torah texts and personalities. The Jewish community was rudderless, lacking in leadership and direction, and unable to provide basic security for its residents. The only way he would feel secure in making his request from the king was by first invoking some of his outstanding predecessors throughout Jewish history: Moshe, Aaron, David, and Shlomo.
Nehemya's Fateful Request
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
The Great Prayer and Confession
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
After reading the Torah and celebrating Sukkot in spectacular fashion, the people remain behind, mourning and fasting for their sins. Those who had intermarried separate from their foreign spouses, and the community recites confession. The Levites proceed to offer a whirlwind tour of Biblical history, Notwithstanding the Jews’ unfaithful behavior, God remains compassionate and continues to provide.

Perhaps the most conspicuous aspect of the prayer of the Levites is the extent to which they draw upon earlier scriptural sources. The ideal is to anchor our prayers, as our actions, in those of the outstanding scholars of the current and previous generations. The prayer exemplifies the key role played by religious commitment born of deep understanding. As the curtain closes on the prophetic period, a new emphasis on the Torah tradition rises to the fore.

It was the leadership of the Shivat Tzion community that helped to renew the community’s commitment to Mosaic law as the touchstone for Jewish life and Jewish learning. Above all, this is the legacy of Ezra-Nechemia.

Our invocation of Nechemia during our daily prayers hints to the larger idea that the miracles of the exodus are not isolated events, but are but one piece of the compassion with which God graced His people throughout the course of history.
The Month of Kislev and the Second Beit HaMikdash
Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell