Goals:
1. Students will know why we fast, specifically on Tsom Gedaliah and generally on Fast Days
2. Students will understand the connection between fasting and teshuva
3. Students will be able to approach the experience of fasting from a new perspective
What happened to Gedaliah?
(ב) (ב) ...ויום ג' בתשרי בו נהרג גדליה בן אחיקם שמינוהו לראש לאחר החורבן על הפליטה הנשארה ונכבה גחלת ישראל הנשארה כי ע"י שנהרג גלו כולם ונהרגו מהם לאלפים. ועשרה בטבת שבו סמך מלך בבל נ"נ הרשע על ירושלים והביאה במצור ובמצוק ומזה נמשך החורבן:
(2) ...And on the day of 3 Tishrei, Gedalia son of Ahikam was murdered. He had been appointed to lead the remaining survivors after the the [first] destruction [and his death led to] the extinguishing of the remaining embers of Israel, because [in the wake of it] all were exiled and thousands were killed. And on 10 Tevet, the evil king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Jerusalem and laid it under the siege and distress that led to the destruction.
(יט) כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת צ֣וֹם הָרְבִיעִ֡י וְצ֣וֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ וְצ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י וְצ֣וֹם הָעֲשִׂירִ֗י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂשׂ֣וֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָאֱמֶ֥ת וְהַשָּׁל֖וֹם אֱהָֽבוּ׃ (פ)
(19) ’Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons; therefore love ye truth and peace.
1. What does fasting mean to us today?
2. What does it mean that fast days will become a time of joy and gladness?
What is the purpose of a fast day?
From Selichos for Tsom Gedaliah:
(ו) דִּרְשׁ֥וּ יְהוָ֖ה בְּהִמָּצְא֑וֹ קְרָאֻ֖הוּ בִּֽהְיוֹת֥וֹ קָרֽוֹב׃
(ז) לְמִימֵ֨י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֜ם סַרְתֶּ֤ם מֵֽחֻקַּי֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֔ם שׁ֤וּבוּ אֵלַי֙ וְאָשׁ֣וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֥ה נָשֽׁוּב׃
From Rav Yaakov Haber:
Rambam (Hilchot Ta'aniyot Chapter 1) -- as noted by Chasam Sofer (Orach Chaim 208) and later by Rav Soloveitchik -- highlights a different aspect of these [fast] days -- that of repentance. By contemplating the past tragedies and realizing that any generation that has not merited the restoration of the Mikdash is also considered guilty of the same crimes which led to its destruction, the individual is spurred to repent for the misdeeds of both his ancestors' and his own generations.
What are we hopeful for in the future?
From Rosh Hashana Day 2 Haftarah:
What is so joyful about doing Teshuva?
From Chabad.org:
Indeed, although Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the year, it is suffused with an undercurrent of joy; it is the joy of being immersed in the spirituality of the day and expresses confidence that G‑d will accept our repentance, forgive our sins, and seal our verdict for a year of life, health and happiness.
From Rebbe Nachman Says...The Teaching of Rabbi Nachman of Breslow As Taught by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach z"tl
You know friends, some day there will be peace in the world, there won't be any committees, there definitely won't be a United Nations, there won't be any politicians, I hope they will be around, but they won't dare open their mouth. Just one human being to the other. People will hold each other's hands...and suddenly, suddenly, G-d will give us the gift of the greatest joy in the world...the greatest joy in the world.
What is the greatest joy in the world? Do you know what sad is? Loneliness. The deepest sadness is loneliness. And being one with another human being is the greatest joy. Can you imagine being one with the whole world? What joy! Unbelievable, unbelievable!