On Sunday, July 21st we will mark the fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz.  (Actually, Shabbat, July 20 is the Seventeenth of Tammuz, but the fast is delayed until Sunday in deference to the observance of Shabbat.) This day memorializes the breaching of the walls around the city of Jerusalem by the Babylonians prior to the destruction of the First Temple, circa 550 B.C.E. and the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Romans which led to the destruction of the Second Temple, circa 70 C.E.    

The day is marked by refraining from eating drinking from dawn until nightfall, Torah reading and the recitation during davening of special liturgy recounting the tragic events of this day in our history.  There is also a custom to withhold from bathing and swimming unless absolutely necessary.  As always, one should seek competent medical and rabbinic guidance if the fast will cause a health concern.  The fast begins at 4:47 AM and concludes at 9:02 AM. We will have a minyan for shachrit and Torah reading at 8:00 AM and a minyan for mincha and Torah reading at 8:00 PM.  This will be followed by a minyan for ma'ariv at 8:40 PM after which there will be a light break-fast.

This day also marks the onset of the "Three Weeks", the period of mourning for the destruction of the first and second temples, that concludes with Tisha B'av, Sunday August 11.  May we soon merit to experience the rebuilding of the Third Temple and complete peace in our land of Israel.