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Jizhak Rabin
and Gedaljah ben Ahikam
[German]
Zom Gedaljah
Besides the great days of fasting (Yom
Kipur and Tisha b'Aw), there are five other days of fasting in the
Jewish year. On the great days of fasting, quiet and fasting are
strictly observed between the eve of the fasting day and the rising of
the stars on the following day. On the other fasting days, fasting is
observed only during daylight hours. One of those days of fasting occurs
annually after Rosh haShanah on the third of Tishrij (if the third of
Tishrij coincides with Shabath, then Zom Gedaljah is held on the fourth
of Tishrij). Fasting begins on the third day of Tishrij with sunrise and
ends with the rising of the stars at night. This day, Zom Gedalyah, is
held to commemorate Gedalyah ben Achikam.
Who was Gedalyah ben Achikam?
After the Babylonians destroyed
Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 B.C. and abducted the majority of
Judea's upper class, the former appointed a Jewish governor, Gedalyah
ben Achikam, over the remaining population. Gedalyah was a realistic
leader of the people: He supported recognition of the political
situation and opposed nationalistic adventurousness. Land legislation
transferred the land of the abducted upper class to the remaining poorer
population.
Under the given circumstances, he tried to secure the survival of
the Jewish people in the land of Israel. Radical groups claimed he was a
traitor. Yishma'el ben Netanyah, member of the remaining upper class,
invited Gedalyah to talk with him. Despite his advisors' warnings,
Gedalyah attended the meeting. Naive enough to believe that a Jew would
never murder another Jew - Gedalyah was beaten to death by Yishma'el ben
Netanyah.
Whatever the exact motives may have been: This murder eliminated
Judea's last attempts towards autonomy and ensured the fall of the first
Jewish state. During his lifetime, Gedalyah's efforts for the
preservation and renewal of Jewish life were never fully acknowledged.
After his murder, the extent of his heroism was recognized
and his death was greatly mourned. Today, he is still paid tribute to on
Zom Gedalyah.
Transl. by
Anne van Ransbeek
Sources:
dg / 11/1995© haGalil
onLine - All Rights Reserved 
''Bakesh Shalom veradfehu!'' Ps34
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