Asarah B’Tevet

Asarah B’tevet, also known as the Tenth of Tevet, is a day that’s observed with fasting, repentance, and mourning. It occurs on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet and it’s one of the minor fasts that’s observed before dawn and continuing until nightfall. The purpose of this fast day is a mourning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia. This event ended up in the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the eventual defeat and invasion of the Kingdom of Judah. Although this holiday isn’t related to traditional Hanukkah celebrations, it follows it by either 7 days or 8 days depending on whether the previous month of Kislev had 29 days or 30 days.

The History Of Asarah B’Tevet

According to 2 King Chapter 25, the king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar and his army came against Jerusalem and encamped around it on the tenth day of the tenth month. This began the siege of Jerusalem. On the 17th of Tammuz, eighteen months later, he broke through the city’s walls, and on Tisha B’av (9th day of Av), Solomon’s Temple was destroyed.

Since this fast day is often observed the two preceding fast days which memorialize different tragedies and catastrophes that are the beginning of the end of the first Batei HaMikdash, we’re also going to discuss the 8th of Teves and the 9th of Teves.

https://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/asarah-btevet/