Tzomot  צוֹמוֹת

In addition to the Day of Atonement, we have another five fasts tzomot צוֹמוֹת, which were appointed as reminders of disasters that affected the people of Israel. The prophet Zechariah informs us of the fasts, but this book only indicates the months on which these fasts fall:

Thus saith יהוה of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons. (Zach 8:19)

The books of Isaiah, Nehemia and second Kings informs us which days of the month these fasts are and what events are associated with these fasts.

1) The Fast of the ninth day of the fourth month צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי Tzom harevii was appointed as a reminder of the walls of Jerusalem being broken during the siege by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written:

In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden - now the Chaldeans were against the city round about - and they went by the way of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment upon him. (Jer 52:6-9)

2) The fasts of the seventh and tenth days of the fifth month צוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי Tzom hakhamishi, commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem and the torching of the Temple in the year 586 before the civil era. According to our teachers of faith Jerusalem was destroyed between the seventh day of the fifth month and the tenth day of the fifth month, as it is written.

Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem. And he burnt the house of יהוה, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man's house, burnt he with fire. (2 Kings 25:8-9)

Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem; and he burned the house of יהוה, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man's house, burned he with fire. (Jer 52:12-13)

3) The Fast of the 24^th day of the seventh month צוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי Tzom hashevii commemorates the murder of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, who was appointed by the Babylonian king as the governor of Judea. Gedaliah was murdered by Ishmael son of Nethaniah, as it is written:

But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal seed came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, so that he died and also the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah. (2 Kings 25:25)

Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them. (Ne 9:1)

4) The Fast of the tenth day of the tenth month צוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי Tzom haasiri reminds us of the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written:

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it and they built forts against it round about. So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. (2 Kings 25:1-2)

During fasts we abstain from all food and drink for 24 hours, except on the fast of the tenth day of the fifth month, on this day the fasting ends after prayer in the kenasa, approximately at lunchtime.

On fast days we add special prayers complied for the fast to the common prayers and we read verses that are connected with historical events that are associated with the fast.

During the period between the fast of the ninth day of the fourth month and the fast of the tenth day of the fifth month we read the book of Lamentations Eikha אֵיכָה every Shabbat. This period is the time of mourning, and therefore all merriment is prohibited. On the tenth day of the fifth month we read the book of Job Iyov אִיּוֹב.