Q. See question above. Dear Rabbi. Besides the known tragic happenings mentioned above, were there any other historic occurrences in the past or G-D willing in the future on Shiva Asar Betamuz that which were actually beneficial?
A. Other interesting occurrences on this day include Noach sending out the first dove to see if the Flood waters had receded, (Bereishit 8:8) in 1650 (2100 BCE); Moshe Rabbeinu destroying the golden calf, (Shemot 32:20, Seder Olam 6, Taanit 30b – Rashi) and then ascending back up Har Sinai for the second time where he spent the next forty days pleading for forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf. (Shemot 33:11, Rashi)
The Mishna in Ta’anit 4:8 associates the 17th of Tammuz as the “Fast of the Fourth Month” mentioned by the prophet Zechariah. According to this Mishna, the 17th of Tammuz will be transformed in the messianic era in a day which “shall be joy to the House of Judah” full of “gladness and cheerful feasts.”
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Y. Hirshman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu, Horav Kalman Ochs, and Horav Dovid Bartfeld consulting in need Horav Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz Shlit’a
Important Numbers
