Post 17th of Tammuz

Post 17th of Tammuz

There are days in the year when the entire Jewish people fasting in memory of the misfortunes that have befallen it in the past - the post to entice the heart to take the path of repentance, as well as to all of us remembered the evil deeds committed by us and our fathers; their time, and how these actions have caused the troubles that have befallen us and them. The memory of these misdeeds should bring us closer to Teshuvah - repentance and return to the path indicated by God, as it says: "Then they will repent their sin and the sin of their fathers" (Leviticus 26,40). Therefore, each of us should devote himself these days of repentance, thinking about their actions and correct, for it is in this - and not in the post - the main purpose of the day, as it says in the Book of Jonah's (repentant) the inhabitants of Nineveh (Nineveh): "And I saw Gd their works, that they turned from their evil way, and wished Gd "(Jonah 3:10). Our sages emphasize: "It is written:" I saw their deeds, "not" I saw that they put on sackcloth and sold post "- therefore, it is repentance and rectification is our primary goal, and the post - a tool to help achieve her".

Therefore, people who (by abstaining from food and drink) devote fasts walks and other unreasonable matters, perform a minor part of the commandment, omitting the most important thing. This does not mean, however, that it is possible to fulfill the commandments of these days, abolishing the post and surrendering only repentance, because there is a particular positive commandment, introduced by the prophets, committing to fast on these days. The Jewish people in ancient times, has committed itself to fulfill this commandment, and that is so done by our ancestors throughout all generations.

Such fasting four days. In the Book of Zecharia (Zecharia, 8.19), these posts are called "fast of the fourth (of the month)", "fast of the fifth (of the month)", "fast of the seventh (month)" and "fast of the tenth (month)." Our sages say: "fast of the fourth month" - is a post of the 17th of Tammuz (for Tammuz - the fourth month of the year, if the number them, starting with Nisan), "fast of the fifth month" - is a post of the 9th of Av, "post seventh month "- is a post of Gedaliah (announce third of Tishrei), and the" fast of the tenth month "- is a post of the 10th of Tevet.

Five disasters in one day

Five of the tragic events took place the 17th of Tammuz. On this day, the tablets were broken the first (covenant), when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw the Jews dancing around the "golden calf", as described in the Torah itself. This day has been stopped bringing permanent sacrifices (tamid) in the First Temple of Jerusalem, after Cohen at (deposited on the Temple Mount by the Babylonians) left animals for sacrifice. On this day, in more recent times, the Romans besieged Jerusalem, demolished the city walls. On this day, the villain Apustumus burned the Torah, and the idol was brought to the Temple. So teaches the Mishnah in Tractate Ta'anit Chapter 4.

It should be noted that in the era of the First Temple of Jerusalem's walls, the besieged by the Babylonians, were destroyed Tammuz, but not the 17 th and 9 th. In order not to overload the social calendar as part of the post, our sages have established Tamuz only one post - the 17th since the death of the Second Temple was a big disaster for the Jewish people than the death of the first.

17th of Tammuz in the desert

7th of Sivan, after the Giving of the Torah, Moses returned to Mount Sinai (the access was still denied to all the people, warn you about this before the Giving of the Torah), to study the Torah in all its details directly under the authority of God and receive the tablets of the covenant.

Before you climb the mountain, Moses said to Israel: "At the end of forty days, in the sixth (solar) hour I will come back and bring you the Torah." The Jews believed that the day of the 7th of Sivan, in which Moses climbed the mountain, is one of forty, and that Moses meant forty full days, consisting of the day, and (following him) the night. However, as we know, a day made up of the night and following day. Therefore, the day of the 7th of Sivan, when Moses went up the mountain, I could not go to the expense of forty. Jews do not yet know. Full forty days Moses spent on the mountain, reckoned from the 7th of Sivan, ended the 17th of Tammuz, when Moses and had to go back, but the Jews believed that he had promised to return a day earlier.

16th of Tammuz, Satan has created a false vision, showed Jews gloomy black images, which showed that Moshe died - in fact already passed the day and hour when he was to return. Satan asked, "Where is your teacher, Moshe?" The Jews replied, "He went up to Heaven." Satan retorted: "But it was the sixth hour (designated day)!" The Jews did not pay attention to these words. Satan continued: "He died!" Jews again did not pay attention to his words. Then he showed them a false vision - Moshe dead. Thus the Talmud teaches us.

Precisely because so great was the faith of the Jews in Moses - they trusted him more than his own eyes - a time when (according to them) are under something of what he predicted, it seemed that a collapsing world. Their consciousness is clouded, and because of their dependence on Moshe was very strong, they felt that they could not survive without it, nor the hour. In this vague moment when none of the Jews could not think straight, they came to Aharon and said, "Make us an idol!"

Make us an idol

It is natural to ask: how is it that the Jewish people, who had seen with their own eyes of God and the miracles He performed, to hear his voice, so easily surrendered to idolatry?

How is it that all the people arose as one man, sin equally and not divided into a plurality of groups, each with its own point of view? And why all the tribe of Levi, without a single exception, has resisted and did not sin in the day, when no one else could not resist? Where was Nachshon ben Amminadab and the people around him, where were the seventy elders, then merited the gift of prophecy? Where were Kalev, Uri, Bezalel and other impeccable righteous? Why are they all also have sinned?

At the time of the Giving of the Torah Gd purified the hearts of all the people, so that all the Jews accepted the Torah, "as one man, as one heart." However, when people are asked to make a "golden calf", he was not monolithic, and consisted of a variety of groups.

When the Jews came to Aharon and asked: "Do we idol", almost all of them do not mean anything bad. Although they did not know what to do Aharon, they all wanted to bring in his "creation" his personal contribution, so that the result of their efforts was the creation of a powerful force, which was Moses, who solves all their problems.

When the result of witchcraft, carried out by those in the Jewish camp, who in the recent past clung to idolatry, appeared animated idol, opinions were divided Jews.

When he saw the idol, the few who have retained contact with idolatry, immediately and completely returned to him. They have not worked even notice.

Another group, more numerous than the previous one, was composed of people whose connection with idolatry was not completely severed. However, the meeting in the Almighty on Mount Sinai and the miracles He performed shook them to the core, and for some time they have completely given up idolatry. Now that the idol has been made, they are interested in him and looked at him worshiped by the people.

The third group consisted of people shocked terrible spectacle of idolatry, but took a neutral civil position. They condemned those who worship idols, and those who scold them for it, believing that all views are equal.

Fourth was the group of the righteous in the Jewish camp. When they saw their brothers, have committed serious misconduct, they came into despair, because they do not believe that in the future they will repent and return to God. Moreover - the righteous was hard to believe that even if sinners and repent, Gd will accept their repentance, and will create this human material, as has been said before, "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." They said to his brothers: "You are no longer brothers to us, there is no way you are now in the community of the Most High!"

Despite the fact that the Jewish people do not act as one that concerned the "golden calf", the Almighty told Moses about what is happening in the Jewish camp as if all Jews as one surrendered to idolatry. After all, even those who remained faithful to God and oppose the idolaters - they even embraced the cult of the "golden calf" as something real. Otherwise they would not have come to such despair and would have reacted to his worshiper "calf" brothers as children, raging in the classroom when the teacher is not in it. Is there idolatry in something real, genuine, able to change the world and to take away from the sanctity of what is truly sacred? After all, the next day had to come back Moses sinned would be severely punished, and the rest of the people have returned to normal. Moreover, shame for committing a misdemeanor only to strengthen the ties of the Jewish people with its Creator. Why, then, those who remained faithful to God, come to such despair? Why did they decide that there is no more hope to save the people from idolatry? Undoubtedly, they also reacted to the cult of the "golden calf" as something real. Therefore, Hashem said to Moses, "thy people!" (Ex. 32.7)

That is why when, coming down from the mountain, Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is for Gd - to me!" - contrary to expectations, came to him, not all who rejected idolatry. Moshe gathered around one only tribe of Levi. Levites were different from the righteous who belonged to other tribes of Israel only one: they completely trusted Moshe and were ready to carry out his instructions, even if he calls black white and white - black. They represent a kind of army, well trained and prepared, ready at any time to fulfill orders from their superiors - and only him. All the other saints that belonged to other tribes of Israel, hesitated and said, "Did Moses really summons those who have sinned, or even just did not protest against committing sins? Do with them and through them he intends to restore order in the camp? No, not us and not to them - after what happened - will build the Temple of God "! In other words, they are let for a short time, doubted Moshe words but one who doubts the words of the teacher, argues with the Divinity. Not appropriate for the people who stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, when opened all the circles of heaven, who had seen with their own eyes what is not seen either before them or after them, no one has ever - not proper for him to attach importance to the manifestation of idolatry, to treat an idol like something real and believe that what happened in the camp, can irrevocably corrupt Jewish people - to such an extent that the way back he will not.

Pacifying

What did Moses when he returned? He gathered his knee and tried all those who deliberately surrendered to idolatry. All the perpetrators were punished. They have been subjected to one of three executions. Those who have been warned in advance that idolatry is punishable by death - under the condition that there were also given a thorough reading to warn them witnesses - were killed with the sword, as prescribed by the Torah to punish the inhabitants of Il ganidahat ( "Outcast of the city"). Those whose idolatry was witnessed, but who have not been warned, have died from the epidemic, sent by God (for, according to Torah law, the death penalty according to the decision of the earthly court can only be punished whoever was duly warned). Those whose idolatry was not witnessed (and who has not been warned), were tested special water (as well as the experience, according to Torah law, a woman suspected of adultery - cell). Bellies of all those guilty of idolatry swollen as they drank the water, and the innocent remained unharmed. The vast majority of Jews remained intact and retained absolute devotion to God. In fact, after the revelation on Mount Sinai, no power could deprive the Jewish people of his holiness in the world.

It should be remembered that the number of Jews who were executed for the worship of the "golden calf" was insignificant. After all, the Torah indicates that the exodus from Egypt, the number of adult Jewish men was six hundred thousand, and when, just three months after the story of the "golden calf", have been restated silver coins donated for the construction of the Mishkan, it turned out that the number of adult men ( over the age of twenty years) has grown to six hundred three thousand five hundred and fifty. Thus, the number of executed men was smaller than the number (of men) who have reached the age of twenty six months - between Nisan and Tishri - even if you subtract it from 3550.

How were broken tablets

When Gd gave Moses the tablets of the covenant, they were weightless (or, in other words, "carry themselves"). But when Moses came down from the mountain, close to the camp of Israel, and saw the "golden calf", the text of the commandments left the stone slabs on which it was recorded, and the tables immediately gained their former severity, which have felt the hand of Moshe. It was then that "anger is kindled Moshe, and he threw the tablets out of his hands" (Exodus 32.19).

The Midrash asks: "How does Moses broke the tablets?" When Moses ascended Mount Sinai and received the tablets of the Almighty hands, went back, he was gripped by a great joy. But when he saw Cho Jews sinned, he told me: "Tell them to tablets, I will oblige them to fulfill the commandments, the violation of which is necessary for severe punishment. So, I leave them to die in the face of the Most High. For good reason to tablets written: "You shall have no other gods. '" Therefore, Moshe immediately turned back to the mountain. However, elders have seen him and ran after him, to take his tablets. Moses holding the tablets in one region, and the elders - for the other, but Moses overcame all the seventy elders, as it is written: "And there was no more a prophet in Israel like Moses ... In all the signs and wonders ... and mighty hand ..." (Deuteronomy 34,10). Moses looked upon the table, and saw that the text leaves them commandments - then the tables have become too heavy for him, they fell out of his hand and broke. According to another opinion, he did not break the tablets until until he heard from the mouth of the Most High words of the Torah: 'Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were on the first tablets which you broke "( Exodus 34.1). Only when he heard these words (ie, won the approval of this act by God), he broke the tablets.

Moshe act is compared to the king's story, decided to get married, who wrote the ketubah (marriage contract) for his bride, and submit the document to his ambassador. How did the ambassador, when a few days later the bride of the king began to spread unkind rumors? He broke the ketubah, saying to himself, "If this woman would have to be brought to justice, even if it is better to judge how an unmarried woman." That is what Moshe did. He said, "If I do not break the tablets - Israel does not bear the Supreme Court, who said:" He who sacrifices to the gods, but one of the Lord, let it be destroyed "(Exodus 22,19)." What did he do? I broke them, and said to God: "I'd rather they (the Jews) do not know what is written on them."

The path of repentance

Generation of Jews left Egypt, not deserving of tests has fallen to its share (the story of the "golden calf"), because it was the best, the most worthy of all the generations of the Jewish people. The same can be said of other major sins of this generation - sin meraglim (scouts), sin "dissatisfied" (complaining about the conditions of life in the desert), sin of Korach and his community - have affected almost all the people. Why does the Almighty establishing causal relationships in the world, made sure that all these serious offenses were committed by the first true great generation of the Jewish people? The fact that he wanted to teach his Teshuvah, repentance, show him the way to it.

Only recently the Jews became a nation. Initially Divinity dwelt among them, they ate food literally falling from the sky, drank water from the well was walking behind them, have lived in the camp, surrounded by clouds of glory. Moshe and Aharon were their leaders. They are aware that they have a long, multi-millennial path - until the end of time. This path will not be easy, because all of it - a series of difficult trials poverty and wealth, the enslavement and freedom. In this way they face many obstacles, a collision which could result in sin, rebellion and treason. God does not want Jews in their hour of having sinned, saying to themselves: "We are already mired in sin, teshuvah way for us closed" - because in this case they can completely detach yourself from it and die. Therefore, from the beginning the Almighty said to the Jews, no matter the circumstances, no matter what their generation does not suffer trouble, even if they are abandoned on the edge of the world, he will always find them and return to Him. For no one generation can not sin more than sinned "desert generation" - and yet the Almighty accepted his repentance, and made it his his people.

Our sages taught in the Talmud (Avodah Zara, 46): "Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:" The Jews made a "golden calf" only to those who want to try the path of repentance, had the opportunity to do so. After all, the Torah says, "Oh, if their heart was inclined to read me, and keep my commandments all the days" (Deuteronomy 5.26) - means that generation of Jews were invincible in their faith in the Almighty. ' "

"They totally ruled over his thoughts and aspirations, and the evil inclination not have dominion would not give for them, if the Almighty is his power - the power to overcome them, to open them the way of repentance. After all, if a sinner in the future will say, "I have sinned - and now God does not take me," he will answer: "Remember those who made the" golden calf "and thus (as it were) renounced God. They repent and He accepted their repentance. ' "

Rashi explains the words of the Talmud.

The same was said by the Prophet Yeshayahu: "Let us reason together, - says the L-rd. - If your sins were red like crimson, they will become white as snow "(Yeshayahu, 1.18). From the above we learn how trying to enslave us the evil inclination. At first, it encourages us to sin, and then, when it was mired in sin a person trying to get back to God, it is said to him: "Even if you repent - your repentance will not be accepted." It is against this argument in favor of the evil inclination and the Prophet, was his he denies: "Even if your sins were red like crimson, then (in the case of full repentance) will become white as snow."

Termination of permanent sacrifice

During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, ended the death of the First Temple, the 9 th of Tammuz the walls of the city were destroyed and the enemy broke into the city. However, the enemies were not able to enter the Temple Mount, where the entrenched kogeny. Kogeny continued their established types of service up to the 7 th of Av, however sacrificial animals exhausted already the 13th of Tammuz - because, according to tradition, in the Temple courtyard were always carefully selected animals that had no forbidden physical defects rendering them unfit for sacrifice in the amount required for all the needs of the temple for four days. Starting from the 13th of Tammuz Cohen managed to bribe the soldiers besieging the Temple Mount, and those - a very high price of gold and silver - until the 17th of Tammuz supplied Temple sheep. This tells us the Jerusalem Talmud (in Tractate Taanit). A similar development took place during the siege of the Temple Mount by the Romans, which became the cause of death of the Second Temple.

Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: "At the time, the precipitating kogeny passed two measures of gold, and they gave them two sheep. Once kogeny delivered daily two measures of gold, but instead got two kids (who may not be used for Tamid - permanent or daily - Sacrifice). In that hour the Almighty opened his eyes Cohen, and they are found in a pen on the Temple Mount two sheep. This case is recorded and Rabbi Yehuda ben Ava, testified that one morning Tamid was sacrificed at four o'clock. "

Rabbi Levi said: "During the siege of the Temple Mount-villains kogeny Romans gave them daily two measures of gold (as payment for sheep). On the last day they gave them the gold, and instead of the Romans began to raise two pigs on the wall (instead of sheep). But the Romans did not have time to raise pigs and half the height of the wall, like those paws dug into the wall, after which they threw (unknown power) forty parsot (many tens of kilometers) from Jerusalem. "

The destruction of Jerusalem's walls

During the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans, which ended the death of the Second Temple, the city walls were breached 17th of Tammuz, and then Titus and his troops broke into it. The siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in the time of Tsidkiyagu the Scripture says: "In the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the famine in the city has increased and become bread for the people of the country. And it had breached the wall of the city, and all the soldiers fled, and went out at night through the gate of the city "(Yirmeyagu, 52.6).

The Jerusalem Talmud (in Tractate Taanit) said, and they mistakenly believed that in times Tsidkiyagu the walls of Jerusalem were breached 17th of Tammuz, but serious deprivations suffered residents of the city, led to the fact that their calendar calculations were violated that this event took place the 9th of Tammuz.

Thus, although the Almighty and His Prophet know the correct date, he commanded Yirmeyagu write in his book "The 9th of Tammuz," the date, which was known to the people, to show that Gd shares with the people of his trouble - as if his calendar calculations have been violated, which, of course, it is impossible even to conceive.

The Jerusalem Talmud it says: "The king sat on the throne, and the calculation is performed. To him came in and said: "Your son was captured by the enemies! His calculations violated! " The king replied: "In that case I'll make him his calculations. '"

Tosfot wrote: "Because of the befallen the inhabitants of Jerusalem disasters they were mistaken in their calendar calculations. God does not want scripture reflect different calculations than those inhabitants of Jerusalem believed correct. "

As Apustumus burned Torah

This event is mentioned in the Mishnah (Taanit, Chapter 4), but the earliest sources are not sooobschayut its details. The Jerusalem Talmud says only: "Where is he burned it? Rav Acha said: "On the road in Lod." The sages said: "On the road to Tarlusu. '"

Commentators later times believed that this event belongs to the era of the Roman governor Komenusa, and it happened sixteen years before the Great Revolt against the Romans. At this time, the governor of the troops committed provocations against Jews and Jewish holy sites, which led to serious disturbances which then gradually died down. Josephus writes about these events as follows:

"After this disaster (we are talking about the murder of the Romans about ten thousand people during the riots, inspired by them), began a new perturbation caused by a robbery that took place on the royal road near Beit Horon. The robbers attacked the motorcade Stephanus, one of the emperor appointed officials, and completely looted. Komenus sent a detachment of soldiers in the village is not far from the place where the robbery occurred, and ordered the arrest of all their inhabitants and to lead to it, because I thought them guilty even that they did not pursue the robbers, and did not try to grab them. A Roman soldier seized in a village in the sacred Torah scroll, tore it and threw it into the fire ... The Jews gathered from all sides in horror, as if their whole country was struck by fire. As soon as they learned what had happened, they - like arrows shot from a bow - in his great zeal rushed to Caesarea to Komenusu and filed his complaint, demanding severely punish those responsible for the desecration of the Torah and offending God. Viceroy realized that social unrest will not stop as long as it does not appease the Jews. So he ordered to bring him to the soldier, and hung it on the gallows in front of all those who came to him with a complaint. Then the Jews returned to their cities. "

Beit Horon is on the road leading from Jerusalem to Luda, so this place corresponds to the version offered by the Jerusalem Talmud, which says that the burning of the Torah was "on the road to Lud."

If this assumption is correct, this event took place the 17th of Tammuz several years before the destruction of the Second Temple. The name "Stephanus" was for some reason replaced by the name "Apustumus". Such substitutions names were very frequent, and we have many examples of that.

According to another view, the burning of the Torah, mentioned in the Talmud, was produced Greco-Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes, which, as well as about the people around him, said: "A Torah scrolls, which they found they tore and cast into the fire." However, there are other suggestions.

Idol made to the Temple

There is speculation that this crime (referred to in the Talmud) was committed Apustumusom on the same day, the 17th of Tammuz. According to another view, it is about the idol, manufactured and entered in the Temple of King Manasseh of Judah. In any event, and this event took place the 17th of Tammuz.

Toldot