This special day is a day of fast that we observe from dawn to nightfall. This year it’s on Tuesday 12/14/2021.

On the tenth of Tevet, Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, began the siege of Jerusalem. 18 months later, they broke through the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Holy Temple three weeks later, on the ninth of Av.

Even though the tenth of Tevet is a minor fast, there is a great significance to it. Rabbi Moshe Sofer, known as the Chatam Sofer, reveals that on this day a heavenly court is assembled to decide if the Holy Temple would be built. This is a decree about the future and the Final Redemption.  The fast of Ninth of Av and 17th of Tammuz are moved to Sunday if they fall on Shabbat, but because of its significance to the future, we fast on the 10th of Tevet even if it falls on Shabbat.

The month of Tevet is the tenth month of the year (Starting from Nisan), and it has the aspect of Malchut. The tenth day of the tenth month is Malchut of Malchut, and it is the proper day that the Holy One Blessed be He choose to decide if to settle his house in Jerusalem, the lower Malchut.

It happened to be that today’s Daily Zohar study is related to the Light of the Holy Temple. It emphasizes the importance of this day for us. We fast and separate ourselves from physical pleasures to focus on the spiritual aspects of the day.  We meditate to remove negativity from our vessels and be worthy of the Light of the Holy Temple. We pray to the heavenly court to decree that this time we are worthy of the great Light, and if we are not worthy of it, we still need it to help us overcome the negativity in the world. 

We read the Psalms (Tehillim) of King David, who is Malchut, and pray to see his son, the Mashiach.

B”H we turn this day of pain into a day of joy and good news.

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