The fast of Tevet falls in the tenth month starting from the Hebrew month of Nissan, hence its biblical name "the Tenth Month." This year, the fast falls on Friday, December 17, 2010. The name Tevet is Babylonian and can be found in the Book of Esther.

The month of Tevet usually has 29 days. It's zodiac sign is the kid, signifying the time when sheep go to pasture in the Land of Israel. It was said that if the winter rains were timely (in the two previous months) and did not fall in Tevet, the sheep would find sufficient grass to graze upon: this was considered a virtuous sign for the rest of the year.

Events

Two major events are landmarks this month:

1. The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet10th tevet

On this day, the siege of Jerusalem began during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, prior to the destruction of the First Temple. The citizens of Jerusalem knew hunger as never before...

This sad day was proclaimed a fast by the rabbis to commemorate the Destruction of the Temple and the consequent dispersion. The sages pointed out that the day should be devoted to contemplation of the events leading up to the siege.

In our day: The 10th Tevet has been established in Israel by the Chief Rabbinate as the day of mourning for all those who perished in the Holocaust and whose day of departure from this world (yahrzeit) is unknown. The day is marked by special educational programs in the schools.

During Shacharit, morning prayers, the congregation does not say Aneinu ("Answer Us") in the silent Amidah. In the Chazan's repetition, however, he adds Aneinu with its concluding Bracha (Blessing) before Refaenu. A special Torah reading for fast days is read from Shemot 32:11-14.

During Mincha, afternoon prayers, some men have the custom to wear their Tallit and Tefillin (prayer shawl and phylacteries) so as to complete the 100 required blessings that it is good to say each day. The congregation does not say the special concluding blessing of Aneinu, but this is instead said by the Chazan during the repetition of the Amidah.

There is also another significant event that took place during the month of Tevet:

2. The writing of the Septuagint

During the month of Tevet, according to the account in the Talmud, there occurred a strange but miraculous event. The Greek king and tyrant Talmi (3rd cent. BCE) requested of the Jewish scribes who lived under his dominion in Judea to translate the Pentateuch into Greek. The aim of the exercise was, of course, to discredit both the sages and the Torah.

72 scribes were dispersed in different locations, each being given his instructions independently of the other without any of the scribes having conferred previously. The Talmud describes how each scribe was endowed with unusual insight and how, consequently, there were absolutely no discrepancies between the translations. The term Septuagint, ascribed to Greek translations of the Bible, is based on this story.