January 3rd ~ Asarah B'Tevet Iin Israel

January 3rd ~ Asarah B'Tevet Iin Israel

Asarah B'tevet, aka Tenth of Tevet, occurs on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet and is usually celebrated and observed before dawn and until nightfall. The reason for this little holiday is to mourn the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia, celebrating the defeat of the invasion of the Kingdom of Judah. Please keep in mind that this isn't related to the Hanukkah holiday. However, this event follows the Hanukkah holiday by either 7 or 8 days depending on the month of Kislev, whether it had a total of 29 or 30 days.

People will celebrate this holiday beginning at dawn until nightfall and will take part in fasting unless women are pregnant, nursing, or if some people were sick. Then they do not have to participate. In some cases, certain prayers are said such as the Avinu Malkeinu and the Aneinu during the mincha services. However, in the event that the fasting day lands on a Friday when those prayers are not included during the Mincha services, then the prayers are exempt.

The History

It is said that the king of Babylon, along with his army, had fought again Jerusalem on the tenth day of the tenth month, which had begun the siege of Jerusalem. Eighteen months later, Solomon's Temple was destroyed.

Jumping to the 8th of Teves, this is when King Ptolemy II forced about 72 Jewish sages into translating the Torah into the Greek language. This disallowed those who weren't as educated to not be able to fully understand the divine of the Torah. Moving forward with the 9th of Teves, this is also known as a fast day, but nobody knows why. Some have said that this is when Ezra Hasofer passed. For those who don't know who he was, he rescued Jews from being in exile. However, alongside this theory, some have also said that Rav Yosef Hanaggid or Shimon Hakalpus are also reasons why this day is celebrated as a fasting day. But the theories are not official.
 

Summary

Celebrating activities: Fasting and some prayers are taking place
Country celebrating: Israel

Subject to edits by the instructors