The prophet Zecharia talks about the fast of the fourth month which the Mishnah associates with the seventeenth of Tammuz. With the building of the second Temple, the Jews asked Zecharia if they would be continuing to mourn and fast on the four fast days. The prophet received a divine answer that those days would now be days of joy and happiness for the house of Judah, full of gladness and cheerful feast.

Mazor Guide to Shiva-ah Asar b'Tamuz (17th Day of Tamuz) brings you much more about the holiday, its meaning and its traditions... See the links below.

• Shiva-ah Asar b'Tamuz - 17th Day of Tamuz General Information
• Fast Days Commemorating Destruction of Temple
• 17th Day of Tamuz - a Day of Calamities
• 17th Day of Tamuz - a Day of Joy?
• The Three Weeks of Mourning Commence