Newsletter

7:00am - Shacharit with Torah reading (with Tefillin)
 
4:25pm - Mincha with Torah reading (without Tefillin)
Arvit

Fast Begins
 
5:33am dawn degrees
or at:
5:39am dawn fixed minutes
Eating of a settled character may not be started during the half hour immediately preceding dawn. Please consult the Rabbi for details. 
 
Fast Ends
           
Rabbi Tukaccinsky
The fast ends no later than the emergence of three average stars at: 
5:25pm
           
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
One who finds fasting difficult may eat at:
5:28pm
One who does not find fasting difficult should wait until the time for Motzaei Shabbat at:
5:36pm

The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet

On the tenth day of the month of Tevet, the king of Babylon surrounded the city of Jerusalem in order to destroy it, as the verse in Yechezkel (chapter 24) states: “The word of Hashem was upon me on the tenth month (Tevet) of the ninth year saying, ‘Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, for on the essence of this day did the king of Babylon besiege Jerusalem.’” 
  
We therefore fast on the Tenth of Tevet in order to humble our hearts into repenting fully and to beseech Hashem to pity us and redeem us completely. The Rambam writes: “The entire Jewish nation fasts on days which tragedy has befallen Israel in order to awaken their hearts and open the pathways of repentance for them. This in turn will serve as a memorial of our grievous actions and the actions of our forefathers to which our current behavior can compare; and this eventually caused suffering to befall them and us. When we recall these things, it will cause us to return to the proper path, as the verse states, ‘And they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers.’” 
  
Everyone is obligated to fast on the tenth of Tevet, and no one may exclude himself. However, children, meaning boys under the age of thirteen and girls under the age of twelve, are completely exempt from this fast and they are not even obligated to fast for several hours. Even children who are intelligent enough to mourn over the destruction of the Holy Temple are exempt from these fasts as long as they have not yet reached the age of Bar/ Bat Mitzvah. Even if they would like to be stringent and fast, their parents should object to them doing so. 
  
Pregnant and nursing women are exempt from the fast of the Tenth of Tevet and they may not be stringent and fast. The definition of “pregnant” regarding this Halacha is when the woman’s pregnancy is recognizable, meaning when at least three months have elapsed from the beginning of her pregnancy. However, if the pregnant woman suffers from pain and vomiting, she is exempt from the fast even in the beginning stages of her pregnancy, especially if forty days from the onset of her pregnancy have already elapsed. 
  
Pregnant and nursing women are also exempt from the fasts of the Seventeenth of Tamuz and the Fast of Gedalya (their obligation to fast on Tisha Be’av will be explained at the appropriate time, G-d willing). Even if they wish to be stringent and fast, one must object to them doing so. Regarding this Halacha, “pregnant” is defined the same way as above, i.e. when three months of pregnancy have already elapsed. However, if she suffers from vomiting and pain, she is exempt from all of these fasts even before three months have passed, especially if forty days of pregnancy have elapsed. 
  
Regarding the exemption of a nursing woman from these fasts as was mentioned above, Harav Ovadia Yosef zt"l writes that even if this woman is no longer physically nursing her child, if she is within twenty-four months of giving birth and she feels immense weakness, she is exempt from these fasts. However, if she feels no unusual weakness or dizziness and the like, it is proper for her to be stringent and fast. Harav Meir Mazuz Shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivat Kisseh Rachamim, rules likewise. Nevertheless, there are  those who rule leniently regarding any woman who is within twenty-four months of giving birth, even if she does not experience any special weakness, that she is exempt from these fasts because she is usually busy dealing with matters of the house and the fast may weaken her.

The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet When it Coincides With Erev Shabbat
 
Tomorrow, Friday, will mark the Tenth of Tevet, a public fast day observed throughout the Jewish nation until the arrival of Mashiach which marks the day the king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem with the intent of destroying it. The verse (Yechezkel 24) states: “And the word of Hashem was to me in the ninth year during the tenth month (Tevet) on the tenth day, saying: ‘Son of man! Write for yourself the name of the day, the essence of this very day, for on this very day the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem.’”

The Sages disagree in Masechet Eruvin (40b) what the proper protocol is for when the Tenth of Tevet coincides with Friday, Erev Shabbat. Should the Jewish nation be fasting as we would if the Tenth of Tevet fell out on any other day of the week or perhaps, one should break the fast slightly before the conclusion of Shabbat in honor of Shabbat so as not to enter Shabbat while fasting?

The Gemara (ibid.) quotes a Baraita: “Rabbi Yehuda said: Once, we were sitting before Rabbi Akiva and it was the Ninth of Av which coincided with Erev Shabbat (this cannot happen anymore based on the way our current calendar was set up; however, in the times of Rabbi Akiva, who established the years and months on his own, this was indeed possible). They brought him a slightly cooked egg and he swallowed it without salt. It was not that he desired it; rather, he wished to show the students the Halacha. However, Rabbi Yose said: One must fast and complete the fast.”

This means that Rabbi Akiva broke his fast several minutes before the onset of Shabbat in order to teach the students that one should not enter Shabbat suffering and fasting, for this is considered disrespectful to Shabbat. Nevertheless, Rabbi Yose disagreed with Rabbi Yehuda and ruled that one must complete the fast, as usual.

The Gemara concludes that the Halacha follows the opinion of Rabbi Yose and one must complete the entire fast and eat nothing until Shabbat night Kiddush.

Indeed, the Tosafot quote Rabbeinu Chananel as saying that we have a tradition that Rabbi Akiva was dangerously ill that year and the doctors brought him some food toward the end of the fast. However, Rabbi Yehuda was not aware of this fact and he relied solely on what he saw and he did not know the reason why Rabbi Akiva ate. Thus, even according to Rabbi Akiva, there is no leniency in this regard.

Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 249) rules that when a fast day coincides with Erev Shabbat, one must complete the entire fast and one may not eat before Shabbat begins.

Thus, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes (in his Chazon Ovadia- Arba Ta’aniyot, page 15) that if the congregation prays Mincha and Arvit earlier on Friday afternoon in the synagogue, they may still not make Kiddush until nightfall, which is at approximately fifteen minutes past sunset.

Nevertheless, Harav David Yosef Shlit”a writes in his Halacha Berura that according to all opinions, one may not purposely prolong fasting into Shabbat and therefore, Mincha, Kabbalat Shabbat, and Arvit prayers should begin slightly earlier than usual in the synagogue and the Chazzan should move through the prayers quicker than usual so that the congregation can make their way home and recite Kiddush as close to nightfall as possible.