The Seventeenth of Tammuz
Parsha Halacha | July 23, 2024
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The Seventeenth of Tammuz

Parsha Halacha | June 25, 2025

This fast day commemorates five tragedies:

  1. The first set of the Luchot (tablets) was broken by Moshe in the year 2448 (-1313 BCE) when he came down Mt. Sinai and saw the Jewish people worshiping the golden calf.
  2. The Korban Tamid (daily sacrificial offering in the Temple/Bait Hamikdash) ceased.
  3. The walls of Jerusalem were breached in the year 3829 (69 CE) leading to the destruction of the Second Temple.
  4. The wicked Apostumus (a Greek Hellenistic ruler) burned the Torah scroll. Some say he burned the scroll which had been written by Ezra, the Scribe. Others say he burned every Torah scroll he could find.
  5. An idol was placed in the Sanctuary. Some say this was done by the aforementioned Apostumus in the Second Temple era. Others say it was done by King Menasheh in the First Temple, sometime between the years 3228 (-533) and 3283 (-478).

A Good Day

The Lubavitcher Rebbe pointed out that 17 is the gematriyah (numerical value) of טוב, which means “good.” The gematriyah is related to the hidden meaning of an object or concept. As such, although the 17th of Tammuz is a negative day in the revealed sense, in a deep way, it’s a positive day as it will be transformed to a holiday when Moshiach comes. In addition, through the breaking of the first set of Luchot on the 17th of Tammuz, we merited to get the second set of Luchot which contained more (of the Oral) Torah than the first set.

Fasting

The fast begins at dawn (5:21 am in Miami) and ends when the stars come out (8:37 pm in Miami). Under normal circumstances when one goes to sleep, it is considered as if the fast has begun, and he may not eat if he wakes up before dawn. If, however, one went to sleep with the intention of getting up and eating before dawn, one may do so. One should not eat a full meal within a half hour of dawn unless they appoint someone to remind them to pray the Shacharit service.

  • Some say that one may drink if one wakes up in the middle of the night even if he had not planned on doing so. It is best, however, to specify that one intends to do so. One who normally wakes up and has a drink in middle of the night may do so on this night too, even if he didn’t specify that he planned to do this.
  • Some say that one who is healthy should not eat extra before a fast but should rather experience the full difficulty of the fast.
  • It is best not to use mouthwash, brush one’s teeth or rinse one’s mouth on a public fast day.
  • One who experiences discomfort if he doesn’t brush his teeth or use mouthwash may do so. It is best if one uses mouthwash instead of water to do the rinsing. Care should be taken not to swallow anything.
  • If one forgot and ate on the fast day, when they remember they must resume fasting. In such a case, it is proper (but not obligatory) to fast another day as an atonement for his sin. If this is difficult, one may redeem the fast by giving tzedakah.
  • If one flies on a plane on a fast day, he should fast until the stars come out, even if it means this may result in a longer or shorter fast. Some disagree and say that one should fast according to the time in the city where the flight originates.
  • If one crosses the dateline on a fast day, one should keep the fast based on the time of the location where he began fasting. Regardless of personal fast times, one should never eat publicly in a place where the people are fasting.
  • An elderly or sick person who finds it difficult to fast is not obligated to do so, nor does he need to make up the fast on a different day.
  • In such a case, one may eat in the morning and need not fast for the first part of the day.
  • One may take medication that does not have a good taste. If he needs water to help swallow a pill, it is preferable to mix into the water something that tastes bad before drinking it, such as vinegar. If this is not possible, one should use a small amount of regular water.
  • If the medicine has a good taste or if one needs to eat or drink when taking the medication (so as not to take the medication on an empty stomach), he may do so if he is ill or if by not taking the medication he would become ill.
  • In Sefardic and Chassidic communities, it is customary that pregnant or nursing women not fast on this day. In this context, a woman is considered pregnant after the 40th day from conception. In a case of weakness, one may be lenient before this time as well. In Ashkenaz, non-Chassidic communities, some say that pregnant and nursing women should fast unless they are feeling sick or weak, in which case they should eat. Others say that nowadays we can assume a pregnant woman will feel weak or sick, and therefore she need not fast. All agree that a woman who had a baby within 30 days should not fast.
  • A woman who has had a baby (or a miscarriage) within 24 months is considered to be a nursing woman even if she is not actually nursing her baby. There are those who say that only a mother who is actually nursing is not obligated to fast.
  • Children under Bar or Bat Mitzvah need not fast.
  • Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach disagreed with the modern custom of having children fast the three fasts before their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
  • One who is not fasting should eat in private. In addition, he, as well as children who are old enough to be educated, should only eat simple foods and not sweets or treats.
  • One who is fasting may touch food (e.g., to serve her children). Some say that one may only touch food if it is necessary (i.e., if the child cannot prepare it himself).
  • If there is a brit on this day, the meal should be postponed until after the fast.
  • One who is cooking on a fast day may not taste the food even if he spits it out.

Redeeming the Fast

It is a special mitzvah to give tzedakah to the poor on fast days. This ensures that they will have enough to eat after the fast. According to the Talmud, the main reward of a fast day is for the Tzedaka that one customarily gives to the poor. It is customary to give this tzedakah before Mincha-time. The Mincha Haftorah reading is therefore appropriate in that it says: שִמְרוּ מִשְפָּט וַעֲשׂוּ צְדָּקָּה (Keep tzedakah/justice and practice righteousness).

  • Some have a custom to give the poor the amount of money they would have spent on eating that day (the approximate value of two meals).
  • This is especially important for someone who was unable to fast for whatever reason.
  • One who is healthy may not redeem the fast instead of fasting.

Other Activities

One is permitted to work on fast days (Tisha Be’Av is an exception). In addition, one may shower and wear leather shoes. Some say that one should not take hot showers or have marital intimacy (unless it is mikvah night) on public fast days. A ba’al nefesh (scrupulous person) will be strict about these. Certainly, women may bathe in preparation for mikvah and immerse as usual on the night of a fast, and men may immerse in the mikvah on the morning of a fast.

On fast days one should take care to not get angry. If one does business, one should take care to be perfectly honest and conduct the transactions in a subdued manner.

Prayers

The prayers on a fast day include the following additions:

  • Selichot, recited after the repetition of the Amidah. Sefardim and some Chassidim recite Selichot before the prayers.
  • The Chazan says Anienu in the Repetition of the Amidah of both Shacharit and Mincha.
  • If the Chazzan began the Refa’enu blessing and did not yet say G-d’s name at the end of the blessing, he may go back to Aneinu and continue from there.
  • If the chazan forgot to recite Aneinu before the blessing of Refa’enu, he should add it to Shome’ah Tefillah as is done during the silent Amidah and finish the bracha with the following ending: ha’oneh be’et tzarah veshome’ah Tefillah. Some say he should finish the bracha as usual, with the words Shome’ah Tefillah.
  • If the chazaan only remembered after finishing Shome’a Tefillah, he should add Anienu as an additional bracha after the final bracha of the amidah – Sim Shalom.
  • The Sefardic custom is for the entire congregation (that is fasting) to recite Aneinu in Shacharit as well.
  • Aneinu is added to the Amidah in the Mincha prayer by both the chazan and the congregation. Only one who is fasting should say Aneinu. If one forgot to say it in Shema Koleinu, he should say it when he finishes the Amidah before the final Yihiyu Leratzon.
  • One who is praying the silent Amidah together with the Chazan who is doing the repetition, should recite Aneinu during Shema Koleinu and not together with the Chazan (who recites a separate blessing (before Refa’enu, see above).
  • Avinu Malkeinu is recited in Shacharit and Mincha (morning and afternoon services).
  • If there is a sandek, mohel, father of a baby having a bris or a chatan in shul, Tachanun and Avinu Malkeinu are omitted, but the Selichot should be recited, starting with “Selach Lanu” (page 409 in the new Chabad siddur).
  • There is a special Torah reading in Shacharit and Mincha. The Torah reading of Mincha also includes a Haftorah.

The Torah Reading

  • One who is not fasting the entire fast (whether he has already eaten or is planning to eat) should not be called for an aliyah, nor should he be the Ba’al Koreh or the Chazzan.
  • If there is only one Kohen and he is not fasting, he should leave the shul so as not be called up for an aliyah.
  • One who was called up to the Torah and is not fasting should decline to receive the aliyah. If the Aliyah was given to a Torah scholar who is embarrassed that he’s not fasting and feels that announcing it would be a chillul Hashem (a desecration of G-d’s name), he may accept the Aliyah. In years when the fast falls out on a Monday or Thursday, one who is called up may take the aliyah in Shacharit even if he is not fasting.
  • Despite this, the Gabbai need not ask the potential olim (people receiving aliyot) whether they are fasting or not.
  • One who is not fasting may open the Ark (peticha) and lift or wrap the Torah (hagbah and gelilah).
  • The Chazan should recite the Birkat Kohanim in the repetition of the amidah of Mincha. In Sefardic congregations (and in Israel), the Kohanim give their blessing during Mincha of fast days.

The Purpose of the Fast

On the fast days, it is important to mourn over the tragedies that occurred on that day and pray to G-d that He redeem us from this bitter exile. One should do an honest reckoning of their actions and rectify whatever needs rectification in order to correct the sins which caused the tragedies that occurred to warrant this fast.

  • In earlier times it was customary for the Rav or spiritual leader of a congregation to speak inspirational words (after Minchah) on a fast day. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged the revival of this custom.

This fast day commemorates five tragedies:

  1. The first set of the Luchot (tablets) was broken by Moshe in the year 2448 (-1313 BCE) when he came down Mt. Sinai and saw the Jewish people worshiping the golden calf.
  2. The Korban Tamid (daily sacrificial offering in the Temple/Bait Hamikdash) ceased.
  3. The walls of Jerusalem were breached in the year 3829 (69 CE) leading to the destruction of the Second Temple.
  4. The wicked Apostumus (a Greek Hellenistic ruler) burned the Torah scroll. Some say he burned the scroll which had been written by Ezra, the Scribe. Others say he burned every Torah scroll he could find.
  5. An idol was placed in the Sanctuary. Some say this was done by the aforementioned Apostumus in the Second Temple era. Others say it was done by King Menasheh in the First Temple, sometime between the years 3228 (-533) and 3283 (-478).

A Good Day

The Lubavitcher Rebbe pointed out that 17 is the gematriyah (numerical value) of טוב, which means “good.” The gematriyah is related to the hidden meaning of an object or concept. As such, although the 17th of Tammuz is a negative day in the revealed sense, in a deep way, it’s a positive day as it will be transformed to a holiday when Moshiach comes. In addition, through the breaking of the first set of Luchot on the 17th of Tammuz, we merited to get the second set of Luchot which contained more (of the Oral) Torah than the first set.

Fasting

The fast begins at dawn (5:21 am in Miami) and ends when the stars come out (8:37 pm in Miami). Under normal circumstances when one goes to sleep, it is considered as if the fast has begun, and he may not eat if he wakes up before dawn. If, however, one went to sleep with the intention of getting up and eating before dawn, one may do so. One should not eat a full meal within a half hour of dawn unless they appoint someone to remind them to pray the Shacharit service.

  • Some say that one may drink if one wakes up in the middle of the night even if he had not planned on doing so. It is best, however, to specify that one intends to do so. One who normally wakes up and has a drink in middle of the night may do so on this night too, even if he didn’t specify that he planned to do this.
  • Some say that one who is healthy should not eat extra before a fast but should rather experience the full difficulty of the fast.
  • It is best not to use mouthwash, brush one’s teeth or rinse one’s mouth on a public fast day.
  • One who experiences discomfort if he doesn’t brush his teeth or use mouthwash may do so. It is best if one uses mouthwash instead of water to do the rinsing. Care should be taken not to swallow anything.
  • If one forgot and ate on the fast day, when they remember they must resume fasting. In such a case, it is proper (but not obligatory) to fast another day as an atonement for his sin. If this is difficult, one may redeem the fast by giving tzedakah.
  • If one flies on a plane on a fast day, he should fast until the stars come out, even if it means this may result in a longer or shorter fast. Some disagree and say that one should fast according to the time in the city where the flight originates.
  • If one crosses the dateline on a fast day, one should keep the fast based on the time of the location where he began fasting. Regardless of personal fast times, one should never eat publicly in a place where the people are fasting.
  • An elderly or sick person who finds it difficult to fast is not obligated to do so, nor does he need to make up the fast on a different day.
  • In such a case, one may eat in the morning and need not fast for the first part of the day.
  • One may take medication that does not have a good taste. If he needs water to help swallow a pill, it is preferable to mix into the water something that tastes bad before drinking it, such as vinegar. If this is not possible, one should use a small amount of regular water.
  • If the medicine has a good taste or if one needs to eat or drink when taking the medication (so as not to take the medication on an empty stomach), he may do so if he is ill or if by not taking the medication he would become ill.
  • In Sefardic and Chassidic communities, it is customary that pregnant or nursing women not fast on this day. In this context, a woman is considered pregnant after the 40th day from conception. In a case of weakness, one may be lenient before this time as well. In Ashkenaz, non-Chassidic communities, some say that pregnant and nursing women should fast unless they are feeling sick or weak, in which case they should eat. Others say that nowadays we can assume a pregnant woman will feel weak or sick, and therefore she need not fast. All agree that a woman who had a baby within 30 days should not fast.
  • A woman who has had a baby (or a miscarriage) within 24 months is considered to be a nursing woman even if she is not actually nursing her baby. There are those who say that only a mother who is actually nursing is not obligated to fast.
  • Children under Bar or Bat Mitzvah need not fast.
  • Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach disagreed with the modern custom of having children fast the three fasts before their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
  • One who is not fasting should eat in private. In addition, he, as well as children who are old enough to be educated, should only eat simple foods and not sweets or treats.
  • One who is fasting may touch food (e.g., to serve her children). Some say that one may only touch food if it is necessary (i.e., if the child cannot prepare it himself).
  • If there is a brit on this day, the meal should be postponed until after the fast.
  • One who is cooking on a fast day may not taste the food even if he spits it out.

Redeeming the Fast

It is a special mitzvah to give tzedakah to the poor on fast days. This ensures that they will have enough to eat after the fast. According to the Talmud, the main reward of a fast day is for the Tzedaka that one customarily gives to the poor. It is customary to give this tzedakah before Mincha-time. The Mincha Haftorah reading is therefore appropriate in that it says: שִמְרוּ מִשְפָּט וַעֲשׂוּ צְדָּקָּה (Keep tzedakah/justice and practice righteousness).

  • Some have a custom to give the poor the amount of money they would have spent on eating that day (the approximate value of two meals).
  • This is especially important for someone who was unable to fast for whatever reason.
  • One who is healthy may not redeem the fast instead of fasting.

Other Activities

One is permitted to work on fast days (Tisha Be’Av is an exception). In addition, one may shower and wear leather shoes. Some say that one should not take hot showers or have marital intimacy (unless it is mikvah night) on public fast days. A ba’al nefesh (scrupulous person) will be strict about these. Certainly, women may bathe in preparation for mikvah and immerse as usual on the night of a fast, and men may immerse in the mikvah on the morning of a fast.

On fast days one should take care to not get angry. If one does business, one should take care to be perfectly honest and conduct the transactions in a subdued manner.

Prayers

The prayers on a fast day include the following additions:

  • Selichot, recited after the repetition of the Amidah. Sefardim and some Chassidim recite Selichot before the prayers.
  • The Chazan says Anienu in the Repetition of the Amidah of both Shacharit and Mincha.
  • If the Chazzan began the Refa’enu blessing and did not yet say G-d’s name at the end of the blessing, he may go back to Aneinu and continue from there.
  • If the chazan forgot to recite Aneinu before the blessing of Refa’enu, he should add it to Shome’ah Tefillah as is done during the silent Amidah and finish the bracha with the following ending: ha’oneh be’et tzarah veshome’ah Tefillah. Some say he should finish the bracha as usual, with the words Shome’ah Tefillah.
  • If the chazaan only remembered after finishing Shome’a Tefillah, he should add Anienu as an additional bracha after the final bracha of the amidah – Sim Shalom.
  • The Sefardic custom is for the entire congregation (that is fasting) to recite Aneinu in Shacharit as well.
  • Aneinu is added to the Amidah in the Mincha prayer by both the chazan and the congregation. Only one who is fasting should say Aneinu. If one forgot to say it in Shema Koleinu, he should say it when he finishes the Amidah before the final Yihiyu Leratzon.
  • One who is praying the silent Amidah together with the Chazan who is doing the repetition, should recite Aneinu during Shema Koleinu and not together with the Chazan (who recites a separate blessing (before Refa’enu, see above).
  • Avinu Malkeinu is recited in Shacharit and Mincha (morning and afternoon services).
  • If there is a sandek, mohel, father of a baby having a bris or a chatan in shul, Tachanun and Avinu Malkeinu are omitted, but the Selichot should be recited, starting with “Selach Lanu” (page 409 in the new Chabad siddur).
  • There is a special Torah reading in Shacharit and Mincha. The Torah reading of Mincha also includes a Haftorah.

The Torah Reading

  • One who is not fasting the entire fast (whether he has already eaten or is planning to eat) should not be called for an aliyah, nor should he be the Ba’al Koreh or the Chazzan.
  • If there is only one Kohen and he is not fasting, he should leave the shul so as not be called up for an aliyah.
  • One who was called up to the Torah and is not fasting should decline to receive the aliyah. If the Aliyah was given to a Torah scholar who is embarrassed that he’s not fasting and feels that announcing it would be a chillul Hashem (a desecration of G-d’s name), he may accept the Aliyah. In years when the fast falls out on a Monday or Thursday, one who is called up may take the aliyah in Shacharit even if he is not fasting.
  • Despite this, the Gabbai need not ask the potential olim (people receiving aliyot) whether they are fasting or not.
  • One who is not fasting may open the Ark (peticha) and lift or wrap the Torah (hagbah and gelilah).
  • The Chazan should recite the Birkat Kohanim in the repetition of the amidah of Mincha. In Sefardic congregations (and in Israel), the Kohanim give their blessing during Mincha of fast days.

The Purpose of the Fast

On the fast days, it is important to mourn over the tragedies that occurred on that day and pray to G-d that He redeem us from this bitter exile. One should do an honest reckoning of their actions and rectify whatever needs rectification in order to correct the sins which caused the tragedies that occurred to warrant this fast.

  • In earlier times it was customary for the Rav or spiritual leader of a congregation to speak inspirational words (after Minchah) on a fast day. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged the revival of this custom.
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Parsha Halacha | July 23, 2024