Tzom Gedalia September 25, 2025 // 3 Tishrei 5786

TZOM GEDALIA Tzom Gedalia, the fast of Gedalia, is one of the four minor fast days in the Jewish calendar. (The term “minor” refers not to importance but to the length of time of the fast. The minor fasts last from sunrise to sunset rather than for 25 hours, as do Yom Kippur and Tish’a be’Av.)

This fast commemorates the assassination of Gedalia ben Achikam, the governor of Judea during the early Babylonian exile, whose assassination led to the final stages of the exile. The story is recounted briefly in 2 Kgs 25:22–26 and in greater detail in Jeremiah 40-41. A short interesting article on the topic can be found at https://www.thetorah.com/article/tzom-gedaliah-why-commemorate-his-assassination.

This year, the fast begins at 5:34 AM and ends at 7:22 PM.