There are 6 public fast days: 17 Tammuz, Tisha B’Av, Tzom Gedalia, Yom Kippur, 10 Tevet, and Taanit Esther. Three of them are predicted in Zechariah 8:19, as it reads
Thus said God of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love truth and peace.
Yom Kippur already is the happiest day of the year, as it provides an opportunity for a clean slate when done properly and sincerely, and Taanit Esther is a minhag (universal custom), not a commandment.
This verse refers to four fast days that were observed during the period of exile and mourning for the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem. The fast of the fourth month refers to the 17th of Tammuz, commemorating the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The fast of the fifth month is Tisha B’Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. The fast of the seventh month is the Fast of Gedaliah, remembering the assassination of Gedaliah, the Jewish governor appointed by the Babylonians thus ending Jewish autonomy. The fast of the tenth month is the Tenth of Tevet, which marks the beginning of the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem.
In this verse, Zechariah prophesies a future time when these fast days will transform into occasions of joy and celebration for the Jewish people. It implies that these days of mourning will no longer be necessary as the people experience redemption and restoration. This is because any amount of mourning and punishment that might seem inherent in the days are not; the debt will have been paid.
Jewish commentators offer various explanations for this transformation. One perspective emphasizes that the essence of these fasts will be preserved, but their meaning will be redefined. Instead of mourning for past tragedies, they will become opportunities for expressing gratitude and celebrating the renewed connection between God and the Jewish people. Consider how life in the wilderness for 40 years was extremely difficult and a whole generation died off before reaching the Land of Israel, but this time is still commemorated with the holiday of Sukkot.
Additionally, Zechariah’s message emphasizes the importance of truth and peace. The verse implies that the fasting itself should not be the sole focus; rather, it should serve as a means to promote ethical behavior and reconciliation. The purpose of fasting is to cultivate a genuine love for truth and peace, leading to harmonious relationships among individuals and communities. That said, doing teshuva (repentance) is critical, but the fast is still a commandment as we see in the writings of the prophets, so no teshuva is complete without it, barring one with illness etc. who should still only eat small portions of plain food.
Zechariah 8:19 envisions a future where the fast days observed due to historical tragedies will be transformed into joyous occasions. After the redemption, we will look back on this long period of exile as an opportunity to have grown from hardship and how the mitzvot we do now will be more important than those done in the era of Moshiach. It means we chose to follow the right, Jewish path with love even before an epoch of truth and peace.
