I believe that there is no coincidence that the attack of Hizballah on the northern border of Israel began yesterday. Today it is the 17th of Tamuz fast and I think there is a much bigger significance to it than anyone can think. I think as many people as possible should fast in Israel during this time.

While some of us are fasting and seriously thinking of teshuva - some are thinking of how they can outdo eachother in rebelling against G-d Gay paraders an their supporters, the corrupt Supreme Court of Israel, the pathetic wimpy govt of Israel, the plain old 'let's be cool like the goyim' brainless etc... G-d I don't blame you for what's happening but please for the sake of the tzaddikim tip the scales in our favour.

Someone should run a Mitzvah Parade in Tel Aviv on the same day as the Jerusalem Gay Parade.

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back because you are more holier than us because you are fasting. When you fast, you are supposed to be humble and not have any outward appearances of fasting. The fast is about your relationship with God, not about showing off to others that you're fasting and therefore you are most holy. You can do and kepp all the laws there are, but if you are seeking after man's approval, then it's all in vain.

If you see G-ds commandments as a burden then you would assume somebody who is happy to do them as arrogant. A mistake many secular make. As David HaMelech says "In the ways of your commandments I rejoiced more than over the greatest treasure." Try it, and find happiness.

Aside from the timing- and throughout our history, tragic have taken place during this three week period- maybe there is another direct message from Hashem- If the Israeli government can't stop the pride parade than He will with a war and a terror threat on all of Israel-C"V.

Fast or even starve...God will never accept your fasting. God took the message from the house of Israel and gave to the muslims 1500 years. your fasting is simmilar to starving people in Africa.

Hey, are you the real David Ha Melech? Cool to know you. Do you still check out chicks in the shower? You know you could get arrested. :P

I love all of these ritious non observers, and of cousre waving your finger is an act of humility, not only don't you fast but you refer to the same teaching you disregard as a defence, which is an act of evil, shame on you, Oh and fasting is a public act where by an observant jew is required to publicly share his fasting with all around as an example to others by personal axample, that whole between you and g_d thang is a christian practise and not jewish.

John i beg to differ. First of all if anything #2 was being very humble by saying "for the sake of the tzaddikim tip the scales in our favour." He didn't say in his sake or our sake or the sake of Haredim. He said the Tzadikim. Second of all part of fasting and mourning is to show outward appearances, Should he walk with a skip and dance on a day of fasting. Besides one looks more pale when fasting. Third of all even in a case where one seeks mans approval which i don't think David Hamelech is doing unless you know him of that name personally, he gets rewarded accordingly but it's definitely not all in vain. Noone is perfect but it's better to try a little than to not try at all.

If you fast with a heavy face for all to see, if you pray in the synagogues and public places for all to see, and if you wear all the clothes simply for others to see that you are "religious", then you already have your reward. However, if you do these thing so that only God in Heaven sees, then your reward shall be in Heaven. To #11: If you take God out of the equation, then don't expect anything from Him. Get yourself an asbestos suit, cause it's gonna be hot down there. To the rest of you: I never claimed to be holy or religious. Only God knows what's in each man's heart.

What you said is not written in our Torah, it says very much the opposite.You either made it up that practicing religion publicly is wrong so as not to feel so guilty when you don't practice religion yourself. Or you were taught this by an anti religious person

In response to talkback number 1, i think that he's true since the israeli army killed a lot of innocent lebanese people during the last few days..so yes, you have to fast..maybe God will forgive you after all of these catastrophes you've done for lebanon...However, please be sure that God will be always looking at us and giving his blesses..God protect Hizbullah and revenge from all of his enemies!!!

"Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips" Has anyone stopped to wonder, how on earth we still call this month "Tammuz"? Doesn't anyone know that Tammuz is the name of a god? I suggest we change the name of the month to one more suitable for the Hebrew calendar.

"Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto to me, 'Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these." And we name one of our months after this pagan god?

Although the humility you refer to may have been a good idea in an age when every Jew's mind was focused on the service of G-d, things are different now. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ztz"l, world reknown genius in Jewish law and a most righteous person who passed away not very long ago said that nowadays a person should not be quiet about the mitzvot he does because we are living in an age where such humility is counterproductive. There are so many that are not keeping mitzvot and somebody seeing you doing a mitzva may be inspired to do the same. Somebody else taking on mitzvot can only be a good thing.