The Five Tragedies of the 17th of Tammuz: History, Meaning, and Lessons for Today

Maimonides (the Rambam) writes: 

"There are days on which all Israel fasts because of the tragedies that occurred on them, in order to awaken the hearts and open the paths of repentance... These are: the third of Tishrei, on which Gedaliah son of Achikam was killed, extinguishing the remaining ember of Israel and leading to the completion of their exile; the tenth of Tevet, on which Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked king of Babylon, laid siege to Jerusalem; and the seventeenth of Tammuz, on which five things occurred: the Tablets were broken, the daily offering ceased during the First Temple period, Jerusalem was breached during the destruction of the Second Temple, the wicked Apostomus burned a Torah scroll, and an idol was placed in the Temple." (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Fasts 5:1–2)

The Rambam's source for these five historical events is the Mishnah in Tractate Ta'anit (4:6). Let us examine each of them.

The Breaking of the Tablets

After the revelation at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah, some members of the nation persuaded the people to create a golden calf.

The Torah describes Moses descending from the mountain and breaking the Tablets in response to what he saw: "Moses descended from the mountain with the two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand, tablets inscribed on both sides... The tablets were God's handiwork, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets... As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf they had made, burned it in fire, and ground it to powder." (Exodus 32:15–20)

The Mishnah teaches that this entire episode occurred on the 17th of Tammuz.

Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura explains: "The Ten Commandments were given on the sixth of Sivan. On the seventh, Moses ascended early in the morning to receive the remainder of the Torah and remained there for forty days. Those forty days ended on the seventeenth of Tammuz, and when he descended, he broke the Tablets."

The Cessation of the Daily Offering

When the Holy Temple stood, the Torah commanded that two lambs be offered every day — one in the morning and one in the afternoon. These offerings were known as the Korban Tamid, the continual daily offering.

The Rambam writes: "It is a positive commandment to offer two lambs as burnt offerings every day. They are called the continual offerings—one in the morning and one in the afternoon, as it says: 'Two each day as a continual burnt offering.'" (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Daily and Additional Offerings 1:1)

The Sefer HaChinuch explains the spiritual significance of these sacrifices. Since people naturally organize their lives around their daily needs, the Torah established a regular pattern of worship twice each day so that a person would constantly direct his heart and thoughts toward God. The daily offerings were therefore one of the central pillars of Temple service.

On the 17th of Tammuz, however, the priests were no longer able to perform this mitzvah because Jerusalem was under siege and there were no lambs available for sacrifice.

Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura explains: "The daily offering ceased because there were no lambs available to offer, as the city was under siege."

The Breach of Jerusalem During the Second Temple Era

The breach of Jerusalem's walls was carried out by the Roman armies under the command of Titus, who would later become Emperor of Rome.

Once the walls were broken, Roman soldiers poured into the city. They killed countless inhabitants, destroyed property, and ultimately burned the Holy Temple.

The breaching of Jerusalem's defenses marked the beginning of the final destruction of the city and the Temple, a catastrophe that forever changed Jewish history.

Apostomus Burns a Torah Scroll

The Torah scroll occupies a unique and central place in Jewish life. Its public burning by the wicked Apostomus became engraved in Jewish memory as an especially painful act of desecration.

The Torah is not merely a sacred book; it is the foundation of Jewish faith, law, and identity. The deliberate destruction of a Torah scroll represented an attack on the spiritual heart of the Jewish people.

Some scholars and commentators connect this event to an account recorded by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus.

Josephus recounts that during the Roman occupation of Judea, robbers attacked a servant of the emperor. In response, the Roman governor sent soldiers to nearby villages. During the operation, one soldier seized a Torah scroll and publicly tore it while insulting and mocking it.

Whether or not this was the exact incident referred to by the Mishnah, it illustrates the hostility toward Jewish faith that characterized the era.

An Idol Placed in the Holy Temple

Idolatry is considered one of the gravest sins in Judaism. The Roman Empire, by contrast, was deeply rooted in pagan worship and actively promoted idolatrous practices throughout the ancient world.

Rabbi Chanoch Gevhard notes that Roman officials and military commanders sometimes placed idols in prominent locations as symbols of conquest and dominance. The Holy Temple, being the most sacred and respected place in Jewish life, became a target for such acts.

In some cases, these idols were installed despite fierce opposition from the Jewish people and the priests. Apostomus became particularly infamous for publicly placing an idol in the Temple precincts, fully aware that doing so would both symbolize Rome's victory and deeply offend the Jewish nation.

The act represented not only political domination but also a direct assault on the spiritual foundations of Judaism.

Looking Forward to a Future of Joy

Although the 17th of Tammuz is a day of mourning, Jewish tradition teaches that these fasts will not remain forever.

The Rambam concludes:

"All these fast days are destined to be abolished in the days of the Messiah. Not only will they cease to be fasts, but they will become days of rejoicing, gladness, and festivals, as it is written: 'Thus says the Lord 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 for the House of Judah joy, gladness, and cheerful festivals; therefore love truth and peace.'"
(Zechariah 8:19; Mishneh Torah, Laws of Fasts 5:19)

The message of the 17th of Tammuz is therefore twofold: to remember the tragedies that befell the Jewish people and to draw inspiration from the promise that mourning will one day be transformed into joy, redemption, and peace.