BE’ETZEM Hayom…The three tragedies.

Short Class:
On this fast day we mourn three separate tragic events: 1. The death of Ezra, 2. the Targum 70 3. the siege of Yerushalayim.

Long Version:
The 8th of TEVES is the date of “Targum Shivim” (Septuagint), the 9th is Ezra’s yahrtzeit, The tenth is the day the siege was laid on Yerushalayim. This fast would be fasted on Shabbos (like Yom Kippur). It is in a way more severe than 9 Menachem Av.