The fast of the ninth of Teves and Yeshu Hanotsri

Coming as it does a week after the last day of Hanukah, the fast on 10th of the month of Tevet (Asarah b'Tevet) might easily be overlooked. It occupies, however, an important niche in the story of Israel and the history of our people.

The text in II Kings (25:1-4) tells us that on the 10th day of the 10th month, in the ninth year of his reign, (588 BCE), Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, began the siege of Jerusalem. Three years later, on the 17th of Tammuz, he broke through the city walls. The siege ended with the destruction of the Temple three weeks later, on the 9th of Av, the end of the first Kingdoms and the exile of the Jewish people to Babylon. It can thus be considered part of the cycle of fasts connected with these events: Tzom Gedaliah (3rd of Tishrei); Shivah Asar B'Tammuz (17th of Tammuz) and Tisha B'Av (9th of Av)

The first mention of this fast appears in Zechariah (8:19) where it is called the "fast of the tenth month..." (counting from the month of Nisan, which was the first month in Biblical times). Other references to the fast and the affliction can be found in Ezekiel 24:1-2 (the siege); Jeremiah 52:4-6.

However, the tenth is not the only fast in Teves. The 8th and 9th were also at one time (but not any longer) observed as fast days. Of all the fast days mentioned in Megillas Taanit, the reason for the ninth of Teves is most obscure.

Ramo in Orach Chaim 580 where he lists various fast days, says the following about the 9th of Teves: " ...on the 9th of Tteves", it is not known what trouble occurred on it". To this Taz responds: "This is very surprising for it states the Selichos that Ezra the Scribe died on that day". His surprise stem from the fact that the Ramo appears to not heve been aware of this source in the Selichos. However, it may very be that the Ramo knew the source but did not think that it speaks of Ezra, but rather that it uses Ezra as a stand in for another historical personality. This was an individual of whom it was dangerous for Jews to write explicitly.

Hagahos of R. Boruch Frankel to the Shulchan Aruch writes: " I found it writen that Shimon Kalfus, wo saved Israel from a great calamity died on that day. In the Halachos Gedolos it says the following:
'Regarding the 9th of Teves, our rabbis did not write for what it is and on that day Ezra and Nechemiah died. In the Book fo Traditon of Raavad it says that on the 9th of Teves R. Yosef Halevi Hanagid, the son of R. Shmuel in Grenada and all those who came from far away lands to see his Torah and greatness were murdered... and we don't know what this day is for... this tells us that already from the days of our Rabbis they predicted this by Divine Inspiration (and set up a fast day for the events yet to come).."

Who was this Shimon Kalaphon? The commentary Tikun Tefila printed in the Siddur Otros Hatefillos quotes from the Machzor Vitri (Seder Leil Pesach l'Rashi):

... some say that (the prayer Nishmas) is about Shimon Peter who wrote it when he was sitting on a rock, and G-d forbid, such a thing should not be in Israel. Anyone who says this will need to bring a fat sin-offering when the Temple is rebuilt."

Who was Shimon Peter? It was the apostle Peter, who accoring to some versions of Toldos Yeshu was sent by the Sages to infiltrate the new Christian sect so as to bring about its separation from Judaism.  According to to other versions, Peter was a believing Jew who was inadevertently drawn into the Christian heresy. He repented on his deathbed and composed Nishmas as a hymn of confession of Divine Unity.

The curious invokation of 'sitting on the rock" can be understood as an attempt to explain the name Peter, which means 'rock' in Latin. The root has survived in English in words such as petrous or petrified (becoming like a rock). This is also why in some sources he is caled Shimon Keifa, a rock being Keifa in Arameic. It also served as the background of the following New Testament verse that has traditionally been interpreted by Catholicism as supporting the instituion of Papacy: "...you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church... (Matthew 16:18).

There are versions of Toldos Yeshu who identify Shimon Keifa with Paul rather than Peter. One source for Toldos Yeshu can be found in Eisentstein's Otzar Hamidrashim, another version can be found at http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/humm/Topics/JewishJesus/toledoth.html. I cite the latter version.

"The Sages desired to separate from Israel those who continued to claim Yeshu as the Messiah, and they called upon a greatly learned man, Simeon Kepha, for help. Simeon went to Antioch, main city of the Nazarenes and proclaimed to them: "I am the disciple of Yeshu. He has sent me to show you the way. I will give you a sign as Yeshu has done."

Simeon, having gained the secret of the Ineffable Name, healed a leper and a lame man by means of it and thus found acceptance as a true disciple. He told them that Yeshu was in heaven, at the right hand of his Father, in fulfillment of Psalm 110:1. He added that Yeshu desired that they separate themselves from the Jews and no longer follow their practices, as Isaiah had said, "Your new moons and your feasts my soul abhorreth." They were now to observe the first day of the week instead of the seventh, the Resurrection instead of the Passover, the Ascension into Heaven instead of the Feast of Weeks, the finding of the Cross instead of the New Year, the Feast of the Circumcision instead of the Day of Atonement, the New Year instead of Chanukah; they were to be indifferent with regard to circumcision and the dietary laws. Also they were to follow the teaching of turning the right if smitten on the left and the meek acceptance of suffering. All these new ordinances which Simeon Kepha (or Paul, as he was known to the Nazarenes) taught them were really meant to separate these Nazarenes from the people of Israel and to bring the internal strife".

The attribution to Shimon Peter took an interesting turn in the commentray to the siddur Kol Bo, which writes: "some say that Shimon Ben Shetach wrote Nishmas and therein he alluded to his name backwards from SHoken Ad, Mi idme, A(ain)d anachnu,V'ilu pinu.., Nishmas..."

Of course, if you calculate the ninth of Teves on what was considered year 1 in the Middle Ages, you come to December 25th. How this relates to the custom of not studying Torah on 'Nittal' night is, however, another story.

Comments

[Ken Buddha]

Rashi also refers to a manuscript which indicates that Simon Peter modified the Biblical Latin, wrote their books, created new shapes for the letters of this "new" alphabet, and so on. This was done to cause a decisive split between them and us such that there was no way afterward that they could be part of the Jewish fold. The original Rashi was censored. This is controversial stuff, this cleave.

[avakesh]

In Avodah Zarah 10a, uncensored versions of Rashi are, I beleive in Dikdukei Sofrim. Additional sources on the blessing of the heretics in Megila 17, Brochos 28. The issue is relevant to the established precedent of how to handle deviant movemetns in our own day - expunge and separate or try to gently guide back into the fold.

[ronny]

This is such an utterly sad story you are telling. Do you not see the heartbreak in a good man being forced to submerge his soul in order to save the rest of his people? How horrible. This entire exile is a miserable thing, and we should do tshuva so Hashem can finally bring an end to it.

-ron

[Ken Buddha]

While I don't have the sources, the shoiur that I heard was that this fellow did not sell his soul. The sages at the time assured him of his place in olam habba for his sacrifice on our behalf. And look at the sacrifice that continues even to this day with many of our own -- and his own -- people vilifying him for who we thought he was. He sacrificed his name but not his eternity. Contrast that sacrifice with the false massiah who sacrificed his eternity yet still has his name among "the nations".

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