1,387. Fasting for Historic Tragedies

Hilchos Taaniyos 5:1

On the following days, the entire Jewish people fasts because of historic tragedies that occurred, in order to move their hearts and motivate them to repent. The fasts remind us of our misconduct and that of our ancestors, which resembles ours and brought about the aforementioned tragedies. We remind ourselves of these things so that we will repent and change our ways as per Leviticus 26:40, “They will confess their sin and the sin of their ancestors.”

Hilchos Taaniyos 5:2

These fast days are: 3 Tishrei, on which Gedaliah ben Achikam was assassinated and the last remaining ember of Israel was extinguished, completing the exile; 10 Teves, on which Nebuchadnezzar camped opposite Jerusalem and laid siege to the city; 17 Tammuz, on which five tragedies occurred: (i) The tablets were broken; (ii) the daily sacrifice was suspended in the time of the first Temple; (iii) Jerusalem was breached, leading to the destruction of the second Temple; (iv) Apostomus burned a Torah scroll; and (v) an idol was placed in the Temple.