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This year the tenth of Teves falls on a Sunday, which happens to also be an NFL game day. Is it permissible or discouraged to attend such a sporting event during the fast?

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Yes. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ – Double AA♦ Dec 21 '12 at 1:33
related judaism.stackexchange.com/q/18073/759 – Double AA♦ Dec 21 '12 at 1:41
Scott, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for bringing your question here! Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. – Isaac Moses Dec 21 '12 at 5:21
@DoubleAA , is it perms on a reg day,Igros Moshe YD 4:11? – sam Dec 23 '12 at 5:50

1 Answer

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The Mishnah Brurah (549:1) explains that the main point of a fast is to do teshuvah, and not the fast itself: By Ninveh, concerning G-d undoing the decree to destroy them, it says "And G-d saw their actions," not "And G-d saw their fast." The fast is merely a preparation for the teshuvah. He continues, quoting the Chayei Adam, that those people who spend the whole fast on a trip or in idle speech while still fasting are fulfilling the secondary purpose (fasting) but not the primary one (theshuvah)!

So although it's technically permitted, the Mishnah Brurah discourages it. (NFL games can always be recorded :).)

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