fasting on asara b'teves is for the building of the third bais hamikdash
There is something truly special about Asarah b'Teves. The Avudraham that even if it would fall on Shabbos we would fast. The Beis Yosef writes that he doesn't know what the source is for this halachah, but that is what Avudraham wrote.
The CHASAM SOFER writes: There are two kinds of fasts. There are fasts over events that happened to us in the past, and there are fasts over things that will happen to us in the future.
For instance, Tish'ah b'Av is over a past event. Beis Hamikdash was destroyed. We don't fast on Shabbos for that. But over a future event we would fast even on Shabbos. Thus, one may make a taanis chalom even on Shabbos. If a person had a dream foretelling a disaster destined to take place, he may fast in order to annul the decree and thus avert the disaster. But for something that already happened, such as the destruction of Beis Hamikdash, we don't fast on Shabbos.
And Asarah b'Teves? It's about the future. Because let's ask what actually happened on that day? Nebuchadnezzar came and placed Yerushalayim under siege. How did this impact the Jews of that time? Not much. Life went on, korbanos were still offered in the Beis Hamikdash, very little changed for them. But everyone realized that the siege would lead to a future disaster. The Beis Hamikdash will be destroyed. They will die of famine and plague and those who remain will fall by the sword. The end is coming.
This makes Asarah b'Teves special because it is about what will happen. So we fast even onShabbos. TheChasam Sofer adds that since the future churban started on Asarah b'Teves, every year when this day comes it is a day of judgment in Heaven whetherBeis Hamikdash will be rebuilt that year.
What do we take out of this? That Asarah b'Teves is a day of accounting over the future. If I keep on living like I have been until now, where will that bring me? Will it advance me, or keep me where I am, or maybe even take me downhill? Perhaps I am under a siege, and if I don't break out, it's only a matter of time until things get very bad?
This is what Asara b'Teves is all about. It's a day to take stock of the future. This fast day is so very important. Because whatever happened has already happened, but we must concern ourselves with what will happen.
May we soon merit the building of Beis Hamikdash. May we break out of all the sieges that surround us. May we be quickly zocheh to the Ge'ulah Sheleimah.
The CHASAM SOFER writes: There are two kinds of fasts. There are fasts over events that happened to us in the past, and there are fasts over things that will happen to us in the future.
For instance, Tish'ah b'Av is over a past event. Beis Hamikdash was destroyed. We don't fast on Shabbos for that. But over a future event we would fast even on Shabbos. Thus, one may make a taanis chalom even on Shabbos. If a person had a dream foretelling a disaster destined to take place, he may fast in order to annul the decree and thus avert the disaster. But for something that already happened, such as the destruction of Beis Hamikdash, we don't fast on Shabbos.
And Asarah b'Teves? It's about the future. Because let's ask what actually happened on that day? Nebuchadnezzar came and placed Yerushalayim under siege. How did this impact the Jews of that time? Not much. Life went on, korbanos were still offered in the Beis Hamikdash, very little changed for them. But everyone realized that the siege would lead to a future disaster. The Beis Hamikdash will be destroyed. They will die of famine and plague and those who remain will fall by the sword. The end is coming.
This makes Asarah b'Teves special because it is about what will happen. So we fast even onShabbos. TheChasam Sofer adds that since the future churban started on Asarah b'Teves, every year when this day comes it is a day of judgment in Heaven whetherBeis Hamikdash will be rebuilt that year.
What do we take out of this? That Asarah b'Teves is a day of accounting over the future. If I keep on living like I have been until now, where will that bring me? Will it advance me, or keep me where I am, or maybe even take me downhill? Perhaps I am under a siege, and if I don't break out, it's only a matter of time until things get very bad?
This is what Asara b'Teves is all about. It's a day to take stock of the future. This fast day is so very important. Because whatever happened has already happened, but we must concern ourselves with what will happen.
May we soon merit the building of Beis Hamikdash. May we break out of all the sieges that surround us. May we be quickly zocheh to the Ge'ulah Sheleimah.
Harav Yosef Dov Pincus
Kollel Nefesh Shimshon
Kollel Nefesh Shimshon
The Chasam Sofer taught that every year on Asara B’Teves there is a judgement on whether to restore the Beis HaMikdash to us during that year.
Also, it is brought down from the Avudraham that although fasting is Assur on Shabbos, if Asara B’Teves would fall on Shabbos we would fast.
The explanation for this may be based upon this teaching of the Chasam Sofer--fasting for the past is Assur--but fasting on Asara B’Teves is for the future to give us back the Beis HaMikdash!
~ Hakhel Newsletter 9 Teves 5784