Spiritual achievement begins with self-esteem
T he Jewish calendar is a cycle one with peaks and valleys each replete with emotions and growth. Often the sensation is like a roller coaster rising high and then plummeting down swinging from joy to sorrow from triumph to defeat. The festivities inherent in the joy of reclaiming the Beis Hamikdash on Chanukah conclude on the third day of Teves only to be followed a week later by a fast that plunges us into mourning the Churban — the Tenth of Teves.
This seemingly innocuous juxtaposition needs to be assessed properly to impact our personal travels through the Jewish year.
The long nights of Teves are thick with darkness representing the hester Heavenly concealment that characterizes our long and bitter galus. Rav Moshe Wolfson in his Emunas Itecha explains that it’s not a coincidence that we fast in this month. We’re mourning the limited vision we have in a world where the Shechinah is hidden.
The Jewish year contains several fast days ranging in intensity and strictness. Although some may consider Asarah B’Teves one of the less strict fasts Rav Avraham Schorr in his Lekach V’halevav (Vayigash) explains that it’s one of the more stringent.
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