Friday is the Tenth of Tevet, the day we fast to commemorate when Yerushalayim was surroundedby the enemy prior to the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash. As we know, it is ararity to fast on a Friday; no other fast comes out on a Friday. The reason for this is that whenHashem told Yehezkel the prophet about the fast of Asarah B'Tevet, He used the words בעצם היום הזה-on this very day.Those that say the special Selichot/prayers of Asarah B'Tevet will notice that those words, "Onthis very day," are repeated quite often. Based on that, the Bet Yosef saysthat we can't change the date of this fast. So much so, says the Bet Yosef,that if Asarah B'Tevet ever fell out on Shabbat, we would fast on Shabbat. Just as, on Yom Kippur, it says "on this very day,"and we don't push off the fast, so too, with AsarahB'Tevet (the calendar has been worked out that that itdoesn't fall out on Shabbat).
What it is about AsarahB'Tevet that allows us to fast on a Friday,even going into Shabbat, and technically on Shabbat itself?
The Hatam Sofer explains, and in doing so gives great significance and importanceto this fast of Asarah B'Tevet. He says that there is only one other time that we must fast onShabbat- on what is called a TaanitHalom- a fast for a bad dream.There is a list of specific bad dreams, brought down in Shulchan Aruch, that ifsomeone had, they would have to fast on that day, even if it came out onShabbat (I won't list them because if you think about them, you might dreamabout them).
How can it be that you fast for a bad dream on Shabbat, but you don't fast for Tisha b'Av on Shabbat? WhenTisha B'Av falls out onShabbat, as it does quite often, we don't fast until Sunday. What is itabout a bad dream that is more powerful than TishaB'Av?
The Hatam Sofer says that there is a fundamental difference between Tisha B'Av and a "bad dream" fast. On TishaB'Av, we fast for something that happened.In every generation that the Bet HaMikdash is not rebuilt, it is as if it was destroyed. So every year,Tisha B'Av is the timethat, so say, the Bet HaMikdash, which should have been rebuilt, is being destroyed. So, we fast about something that happened. When you fast about something that happened, that doesn't override Shabbat. However, whena person has a bad dream,it's an indication from Above that there is an impending doom. Therefore, by fasting and doingTeshuva, one can void the bad decree. So a fast of a bad dream overridesShabbat because it's a preventive fast. It's not fasting to commemoratesomething that happened, it's fasting in order to prevent a tragedy fromoccurring in the future. This is a basic difference.
But the Hatam Sofer adds a major hiddush. He says that every single year, on Asarah B'Tevet,it's decided whether or not we will have the Bet HaMikdash rebuilt this year.
That's heavy statement. In other words, the Bet Din in Heavenconvenes on Asarah B'Tevet, to decide whether or not the Bet HaMikdash will be built thisyear.
It's just like the first Asarah B'Tevet, where nothing had happened yet; it was the surrounding of the city, it wasan indication of impending doom. That is what is being decided on Asarah b'Tevet.
So we fast on Asarah B'Tevet in order to prevent thedestruction, not to commemoratesomething. That's why it's so important, and it can't be pushed off.
The Yaarot Devash adds another aspect to his. He said that if something is called- "בעצם היום הזה- on this very day" that means it's been etched in time,from time immemorial.
What etched this into time?
The Yaarot Devash proves (through calculations that we won't get into) that Kayinkilled Hevel on the third day of Tevet. AsarahB'Tevet was after the seven days ofmourning, and it was then that Hashem told Kayin, that he'd be a wonderer. That means that the first decree ofexile came out on Asarah B'Tevet. Therefore it's etched into time as the deciding day of exile.
And finally, our punchline- if the first Asarah B'Tevet wasabout a lack of brotherly love, then this is something we have to work on everyyear. If you pay attention, you'll notice that we always read the Parasha of Yosef and his brothers at this time- which isabout getting together again.
What does this have to do with Bitachon?
Everything in the world. The rabbis say that Kayin killed Hevelbecause they were fighting over the world. The world wasn't big enough for twopeople! The name Kayin comes from the root of Kin'ah-jealousy.
The Gaon of Vilna says that the source of both Sinat Hinam, baseless hatred, andjealously is a lack of Bitachon.
So, if that's the case, AsarahB'Tevet is a day to strengthen our bitachon,relying on Hashem and realizing no one can take anything away from us. All hatred is called baselesshatred, because it's for no reason. He didn't do anything to you. Thereis no reason to hate him. And if that's the case, we have to rekindle our friendship andlove, and with that, we will hopefully alleviate a Tisha B'Av this year, andthese days of fastingshould turn into days of happiness.
Amen.