Overview:
The Fast of 17 Tammuz:
Marking The Beginning of Mourning
The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz is called Shivah Asar B'Tammuz in Hebrew. This Jewish Holy Day marks the beginning of a three week period of mourning. The fast of Tammuz commemorates five tragic events that occurred throughout the Jewish History on this day:
1. Moshe destroyed the two tablets containing the 10 commandments, which he had just received from Hashem after 40 days and nights spent alone with Hashem on Mt. Sinai. While Moshe was taking a long while to return, at the behest of the people, Aaron took the gold earrings (which the people likely got from the Egyptian plunder) and made golden calf. When Moshe returned and saw the calf, he destroyed the two copies of the 10 Commandments (aka: "The Pact" in Tanakh).
2. The Jewish people had to discontinue their daily sacrifices due to a lack of sheep. This tragedy occurred during the Babylonian seizure of Jerusalem, which consequently sent the Jewish people into exile.
3. Apostomus (who is either a Greek or Roman Soldier) burned the Sacred Torah Scroll of Moshe. For more information, see: Chabad
4. An idol was placed in the sanctuary of the Temple of Hashem, which desecrated the Holy House of the Almighty.
5. In 69 CE, the walls of Jerusalem were breached by Roman soldiers. This breach led to the razing of the Holy City, destruction of the Holy Temple, and the slaughter, capture, and/or exile of a large portion of Jewish people.
Sources:
When is
The Fast of 17 Tammuz?
2 July 2026
In The Tanakh:
Zechariah 8:18-19
וַיְהִ֛י דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
18 And the word of GOD of Hosts came to me, saying,
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת צ֣וֹם הָרְבִיעִ֡י וְצ֣וֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי֩ וְצ֨וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י וְצ֣וֹם הָעֲשִׂירִ֗י יִהְיֶ֤ה לְבֵית־יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂשׂ֣וֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּֽלְמֹעֲדִ֖ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָאֱמֶ֥ת וְהַשָּׁל֖וֹם אֱהָֽבוּ׃ {פ}
19 Thus said GOD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.
*fast of the fourth month Commemorating the events of 2 Kings 25.3–7 (Jer. 52.6ff.).
2 Kings 25:3-7
בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃
3 By the ninth day [of the fourth month] the famine had become acute in the city; there was no food left for the common people.
וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה ׀ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃
4 Then [the wall of] the city was breached. All the soldiers [left the city] by night through the gate between the double walls, which is near the king’s garden—the Chaldeans were all around the city; and [the king] set out for the Arabah.
וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥גוּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכׇ֨ל־חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃
5 But the Chaldean troops pursued the king, and they overtook him in the steppes of Jericho as his entire force left him and scattered.
וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָ֑תָה וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
6 They captured the king and brought him before the king of Babylon at Riblah; and they put him on trial.
וְאֶת־בְּנֵי֙ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ שָׁחֲט֖וּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֤י צִדְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ עִוֵּ֔ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽל׃ {ס}
7 They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes; then Zedekiah’s eyes were put out. He was chained in bronze fetters and he was brought to Babylon.
Jeremiah 52:5-11
וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃
5 The city continued in a state of siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָרְבִיעִי֙ בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃
6 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine had become acute in the city; there was no food left for the common people.
וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֡ה יִבְרְחוּ֩ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ מֵהָעִ֜יר לַ֗יְלָה דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֤עַר בֵּין־הַחֹמֹתַ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃
7 Then [the wall of] the city was breached. All the soldiers fled; they left the city by night through the gate between the double walls, which is near the king’s garden—the Chaldeans were all around the city—and they set out for the Arabah.
וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥יגוּ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכׇ֨ל־חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃
8 But the Chaldean troops pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the steppes of Jericho, as his entire force left him and scattered.
וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃
9 They captured the king and brought him before the king of Babylon at Riblah, in the region of Hamath; and he put him on trial.
וַיִּשְׁחַ֧ט מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְגַ֛ם אֶת־כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה שָׁחַ֥ט בְּרִבְלָֽתָה׃
10 The king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons slaughtered before his eyes; he also had all the officials of Judah slaughtered at Riblah.
וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ עִוֵּ֑ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֣הוּ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֗יִם וַיְבִאֵ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּבֶ֔לָה וַיִּתְּנֵ֥הוּ (בבית) [בֵֽית־]הַפְּקֻדֹּ֖ת עַד־י֥וֹם מוֹתֽוֹ׃
11 Then the eyes of Zedekiah were put out, and he was chained in bronze fetters. The king of Babylon brought him to Babylon and put him in prison, [where he remained] to the day of his death.