[Avodah] Shiva Asar B'Tamuz "A FAST WITH A DIFFERENT SLANT"

[Cantor Wolberg]

The 17th of Tamuz is a fast day commemorating several catastrophes which occurred throughout our 
history. Most notably, on this day in 70 CE the Roman army broke through the walls of Jerusalem prior 
to destroying the Second Temple. The 17th of Tamuz has always been a calamitous day for the Jewish people, 
for it was on this day that Moses broke the first tablets. Moses descended from Mount Sinai, and upon seeing the people 
dancing around the Golden Calf, smashed the tablets onto the ground.
 
The two sets of tablets contain the same laws, with slightly different wording. The first tablet of each set contains the laws 
of our relationship to God, which are represented by the verse, "You shall love Hashem, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, 
and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5) ,The second tablet contains the laws of our relationship with other people, which are represented 
by the verse, "You shall love your fellow as yourself, I am Hashem." (Leviticus 19:18).
 
What is interesting is that both verses have a key phrase with the same gematria, 907.  These are the laws between 'man and God’ 
(Deut.6:5)  "V'ahavta et Adonai Elohekha" (You shall love the Lord, your God); and laws between 'man and man’ 
(Lev.19:18) "V'ahavta l'rayekha kamokha; Ani Adonai" (You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Hashem).  Both phrases have 
the exact numerical value of 907.  This shows in a mystical fashion that laws towards other people carry an equal worth as the laws of 
how we should act towards God. [After all, it was God who created the other people]. (The Torah also reminds us that both are necessary, 
by pointing out that the word for tablets, Luchot, is written incomplete in the Torah. This reminds us that neither tablet is whole on its own, 
and that a person must follow both sets of laws). 
 
The Talmud says that after the future redemption of Israel and the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash, these fast days will be re-dedicated 
as days of rejoicing and festivity. For as the prophet Zechariah says: the 17th of Tammuz will become a day of "joy to the House of Judah, 
and gladness and cheerful feasts."
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