How to Observe the Tenth of Tevet

The Tenth of Tevet is a day of mourning and fasting in Judaism. The tenth day of the Hebrew calendar month of Tevet marks the onset of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Because the siege eventually led to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon's Temple, Jews throughout the world observe the day by mourning. Follow these steps to observe the Tenth of Tevet.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Understand the historical and religious context of the day. The Tenth of Tevet is a member of a group of four days of religious mourning and grieving in the Jewish tradition. It is important to understand the significance of the First Temple, its destruction and the subsequent exile in order to get an idea about why observing the fast day is so important.

2. Begin fasting at dawn. The most notable aspect of the Tenth of Tevet observance is that it requires able adult Jews to fast from dawn until sundown. The fast is a reminder of the bitterness of the destruction and so it prohibits drinking as well as eating. Unlike some other Jewish fast days, though, there are no other bodily constraints in the day's observance.

3. Attend prayer services. Prayer services are held as on any other day but the Tenth of Tevet involves a special gravity and seriousness that is marked by some added prayer. Attend both Shacharit (morning) and Maariv (evening) services to recite special sections of the Amidah and to hear relevant readings of the Torah and Haftorah.

4. Observe other tragedies that the Tenth of Tevet marks. Even though Jews initially observed the day to mark the fall of Jerusalem, later rabbis have made it a day of mourning for the victims of the Holocaust. You should observe this day by reciting the Yizkor, or remembrance, prayer and taking a minute out of the day to stand in silence to mark the tragedy of the Holocaust.