In the State of Israel, Kaddish (the Jewish prayer for the deceased) is recited on this day for people whose date or place of death is unknown. Consequently, many rabbis have designated it as a day of remembrance for the Holocaust. On this day, people fast, or in other words, give up certain pleasures such as food.

 

 

 

The Purpose of Fasting

     The essential significance of the fast of the Tenth of Tevet is not primarily the grief and mourning in which they evoke, but rather to awaken the hearts towards repentance; to recall both the evil deeds of our fathers, and our own evil deeds, making us good again. The aim of fasting, therefore, is to force out our evil tendency by restriction of  pleasure. 
     Each person is obligated to examine his/her deeds, and to repent during these days. People must fast and disengage in pointless activities. The people, who fast but do engage in pointless activities, grasp what is of secondary importance and miss what is essential. Nevertheless, repentance alone without fasting is also insufficient, because there is a positive commandment of Rabbinic origin to fast on this day.

 

The Observance of the Fast

 

    The fast begins, as do most public fasts, at dawn.
The Asarah B'Tevet fast does not apply any additional physical constraints, such as the prohibition of washing or of wearing leather shoes, etc. . . , as some fasts do.

 

People Who Are Exempt from the Fast:

 

 

 

 

 

    All those who are exempt from fasting should not, in any case, eat publicly or indulge in purely pleasurable forms of consumption, but should eat only that which is necessary for good nutrition.