Welcome to our daily Bitachon. Today is a special class for Asarah B'Tevet. As we know, today is a fast day—a significant day commemorating the siege laid against Yerushalayim and the eventual destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash. I use the word 'commemoration' loosely, because today isn't just about remembering the past; it's about taking action in the present. It is interesting to note the other readings that coincide with Asarah B'Tevet every year. In Parshat Vayigash , we always read about Yosef and his brothers reuniting. Furthermore, in last week's Haftarah , the prophet Yechezkel received a message from God to perform a miracle: Take one piece of wood and write 'Yehudah' on it. Take another and write 'Yosef.' When you hold them together, they will miraculously fuse into one. When the people ask for the symbolism behind this, tell them that in the future, the house of Yehudah (representing the Davidic line) and the house of Yosef (representing the ten tribes who separated) will finally be reunited when Mashiach comes. Where did this division begin? While the Gemara attributes the destruction of the first Temple to the three cardinal sins—idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed—the fundamental 'rupture' started earlier. After Shlomo HaMelech passed away, his son Rechavam took the throne. However, Yerovam ben Nevat, from the tribe of Ephraim (descended from Yosef), broke away to start a separate kingdom. This split was the true beginning of the downfall of the Jewish people. As the Gemara in Shabbat 56b notes, the people would not have turned to idolatry had it not been for this division; it was Yerovam who introduced the two golden calves to solidify the split. This breakdown happened in Shechem. Rashi points out that Shechem is a place predestined for tragedy: it is where Yosef was sold by his brothers and where the kingdom eventually fractured. This is why Asarah B'Tevet always coincides with these Torah portions. While Tisha B'Av marks the actual destruction and the later sin of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) during the second Temple, Asarah B'Tevet focuses on the beginnings . The siege began today. The first cracks in our foundation appeared today. And those cracks were rooted in a lack of brotherly love. The Yaarot Devash notes a fascinating calculation: the day God decreed that Kayin would be a wanderer for killing his brother, Hevel, was Asarah B'Tevet. This day has been rooted in the theme of exile due to broken brotherhood since the dawn of history—from Kayin and Hevel to Yosef and his brothers. Therefore, Asarah B'Tevet is a time for introspection. Ask yourself: How can I work on my 'brotherly love'? Which family members am I disengaged from? Which relationships can I repair? This fast is not just about abstaining from food; it is about examining our deeds and fixing our connections with one another. Have a tzom kal (an easy fast)."