The Tenth of Tevet fast that we observe today is a symbol of hope in the darkest of times. On this day, we commemorate the beginning of the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem—a siege that led to the city’s destruction and the exile of its people.
So why does it symbolize hope? Because on this date, hundreds of kilometers away, in Babylon itself, the prophet Ezekiel—who had been exiled about a decade before the destruction—received both the devastating news of Jerusalem’s fall and a prophecy about the future.
From the depths of the terrible exile and the bitter news of destruction, Ezekiel described a different vision. A vision where death is overcome by life, dry bones come to life, and a grieving people who feel hopeless gather to become a whole nation, rebuilding their lives:
“Behold, I am opening your graves and raising you up from your graves, My people, and I will bring you to the land of Israel… I will put My spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will settle you on your own land.”
In the midst of a difficult war with heavy losses, we must connect to the hope in Ezekiel’s prophecy and remember that God promised we would live here on our land.
Have a meaningful fast.
