No Coffee Tomorrow, Jewish Fast Day, Tenth of Tevet

Tomorrow is the Tenth of the Jewish Month of Tevet, aka Asara b'Tevet.  It's a fast day, a day of mourning and grief.  It should be a lesson to us all.

One of the tragedies commemorated on the 10th of Tevet is the first recorded sin of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) to affect the Jewish people - the sale of Yosef which took place on that day.

We know that we are still in exile because we have not overcome the sin of sinat chinam.

There have been and still are terrible acts like this in the recent past and in the present, Jew against Jew. 

Background of the fast:

The Jewish People were already half exiled from their land. Nebuchadnetzer had taken King Yehoyachin and the Prophet Ezekial into captivity. In their place, Nebuchadnetzer had left as king in Jerusalem, Tzedkiyahu the son of Yehoyachin.

In Babylonia, the Jewish People began to make themselves comfortable in their exile. The prophet Ezekial chastised the Jews, that they should amend their ways and return to the customs of their fathers. However the people in exile were not interested. What would it help them?
In Jerusalem, Tzedkiyahu tried to make a coalition with the kings in nearby lands to rebel against Nebechadnetzer. However Nebechadnetzer found out and sent his general, Nevuzaradan, to take the city. In Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah, urged the people to return to the ways of their forefathers, but it was to no avail.

The siege began quietly, almost without any notice. The Jewish residents of the capital were secure in their fortified city. The warning of the prophet were like a joke, the words of a mad man.

The army of Nevuzeradan slowly encircled the fortified city. They closed off all entry and exit to the city. It took Nevuzaradan two and a half years to finally conquer the city.

Today we are also in danger. Every "peace" sic agreement and concession has just increased terrorism and danger.  We're being ruled by short-sighted politicians who are enamoured by international praise rather than being loyal to G-d.

If all it took to get us on track to truly follow G-d, I'd gladly give up my coffee, water and food.  Our security is up to G-d, not American shopping coupons aka aid sic.  King David was our greatest king and greatest warrier.  He understood that G-d and G-d only gave him strength:

1 Samuel Chapter 17 שְׁמוּאֵל א
מה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד, אֶל-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי, בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן; וְאָנֹכִי בָא-אֵלֶיךָ, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ. 45 Then said David to the Philistine: 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted.
מו הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְסַגֶּרְךָ יְהוָה בְּיָדִי וְהִכִּיתִךָ, וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ, וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ; וְיֵדְעוּ, כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel;

Also Chana:

1 Samuel Chapter 2 שְׁמוּאֵל א
ד קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים, חַתִּים; וְנִכְשָׁלִים, אָזְרוּ חָיִל. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

And the Prophet Zacharia:

Zechariah Chapter 4 זְכַרְיָה
ו וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, לֵאמֹר, זֶה דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-זְרֻבָּבֶל לֵאמֹר: לֹא בְחַיִל, וְלֹא בְכֹחַ--כִּי אִם-בְּרוּחִי, אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת. 6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying: 'This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

We must unite to fight our enemies!!