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There is a fast that according to a clear Halacha in Mishna Berura - some people would fast on one day and others would have to fast on the following day. Which fast is this?

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I recommend that you make your questions specific enough to include all of the qualifications on what you're looking for. That way, your questions would have available objective answers, which is the type of question mi.yodeya runs on. "What am I thinking of?" is a question about your state of mind rather than about Jewish life and learning. – Isaac Moses Oct 7 '10 at 21:30
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@Isaac, I think we should disallow riddles. Half of the front page is riddles, which makes it hard to find serious questions. – Chanoch Oct 7 '10 at 21:42
Issac: If I give more information the answer will be obvious. I feel the question gives enough information to get the correct answer. It is not what I am thinking of - if someone knows an additional answer that would fit the bill I would be happy to hear it. I am adding a bounty for the correct answer which is in a clear Mishna Berura. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 22:47
By being clearer I am limiting the amount of interesting possible answers we have gotten. However I will do as you wish. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 22:59
Chanoch - I find riddles interesting, mind provoking, they make you think, add knowledge in obscure areas, etc. Maybe they should have their own page in order not to mix them up with serious questions? I think that would be a fair compromise rather than disallowing them. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 23:08

closed as not constructive by Isaac Moses Jun 17 '11 at 21:46

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5 Answers

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Yom Kippur Katan. When Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, some people move up YKK (and the associated fast) to Thursday, but others - who do not say Yom Kippur Kotton yet still fast on Erev Rosh Chodesh observe it on Friday.

(Mishnah Berurah 249:22)

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If that's what the MB means, then your question is worded unclearly. Then you've basically got "some people who fast two days in succession, while others fast only one" - and that could equally well apply to Yom Kippur (Rema to Orach Chaim 624:5). – Alex Oct 7 '10 at 23:45
If you say Yom Kippur Kotton - since it is said Thursday you only fast on Thursday. If you only fast on Erev Rosh Chodesh and do not say Yom Kippur Kotton then you would only fast on Friday. No one would fast both days. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 23:55
If this was the answer expected, then it's basically arbitrary. It's no better an answer than two people who have a Ta'anis Chalom on different days because they had bad dreams on different nights. I understand that it's a matter of one person's Minhag differing from another's, but it's not a difference in the calendar, or a difference in Minhag HaMakom; it's just a difference of whether one has a Minhag to fast 'Erev Shabbos or not! – Seth J Nov 5 '10 at 14:49
Seth - It is not arbitrary. Those that fast Erev Rosh Chodesh and say Yom Kippur Kotton would not say Yom Kippur Kotton on Friday - and thus would fast on Thursday when they say it. Those that do not say Yom Kippur Kotton would fast on Friday. So you have the same Erev Rosh chodesh fast some people observing it on Thursday and others on Friday. By a Taanis Cholom it is for a different dream on a different day. I think you should be able to understand the difference. – Gershon Gold Nov 5 '10 at 15:44
They are fasting for different reasons, and therefore on different days. It's not a Ta'anis Tzibbur being observed differently. It's a Ta'anis Yachid. – Seth J Dec 9 '10 at 13:56
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I had thought it would be Ta'anith Esther, if Purim is on a Sunday (observed in Yerushalayim, etc., on Sunday, and everywhere else on Thursday), but that is apparently not the case. http://www.ou.org/jewish_action/article/facts_and_figures_about_the_new_year

I'm going to have to assume you are speaking theoretically, then, and discussing the historical tradition of Rosh HaShanah being observed for only one day within Yerushalayim, while being observed over two days elsewhere, thus causing Tzom Gedaliah to be observed differently, as it is observed the day following R"H, unless that day is Shabbath, rather than on a specific date (ie, 3rd Tishrei). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_of_Gedalia

EDIT: I think I've (finally) found a pretty strong defense of my argument for Tzom Gedaliah. RaMBa"M Kiddush HaChodesh 5:3-6 suggests very strongly that there were places ("BeZman HaZeh" - although that was the time of the RaMBa"M) that observed only one day of R"H, which would mean Tzom Gedaliah was observed on 2 Tishrei. I will concede that 7-8 (ibid.) seem to contradict that, but I think that is a matter of policy, which, it would seem from 6 (with the use of the word "KeMinhagam") was not universally adopted. See: http://machonshilo.org/en/images/stories/files/RoshHaShanna1-2%20D.doc

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This is not the answer I was looking for. To the best of my knowledge Rosh HaShana is 2 days everywhere. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 19:42
I think I've (finally) found a pretty strong defense of my argument for Tzom Gedaliah. RaMBa"M Kiddush HaChodesh 5:3-6 suggests very strongly that there were places ("BeZman HaZeh" - although that was the time of the RaMBa"M) that observed only one day of R"H, which would mean Tzom Gedaliah was observed on 2 Tishrei. I will concede that 7-8 (ibid.) seem to contradict that, but I think that is a matter of policy, which, it would seem from 6 (with the use of the word "KeMinhagam") was not universally adopted. See: machonshilo.org/en/images/stories/files/RoshHaShanna1-2%20D.doc – Seth J Nov 5 '10 at 15:28
@GershonGold See the Rosh Beitza 1:4 for opinions about how long Rosh HaShana is/was/should be in Israel. – Double AA♦ Jan 5 '12 at 6:26
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Did people fast the churban-related fasts during the second bes hamikdash's time? The tenth of Teves would seemingly then fit the bill for the same reason Seth J notes for tzom G'dalya: people near enough to the declaration of the month would fast on the right day, while people farther away would (I assume) fast based on a 30-day preceding month (since Kislev usually is 30 days).

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The answer I am looking for is in regard to a fast in the current times. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 19:43
Was Kislev usually 30 days back then too? – WAF Oct 7 '10 at 21:30
@WAF, that's what I've heard: that the months tended to alternate much as they do now. I don't remember with certainty whom I heard it from, and have no further source. – msh210♦ Oct 8 '10 at 3:37
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Maybe the series of Taanis BaHaB fasts after Pesach and Sukkos? There are different customs as to when these should be observed (see, for example, Rema to Orach Chaim 492:1).

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However that would not fit the question - "some people would fast on one day and others would fast on the following day." – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 20:20
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If you had a distressing dream on Friday night. The Shulchan Aruch (288:4-5) (see the Kaf HaHayyim on that Siman) lists several opinions about if one may fast a ta'anit chalom on shabbat, and on what dreams. The poskim are of varied opinions about this.

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Then you would fast on Shabbos. – Gershon Gold Oct 7 '10 at 23:00
Edited to reflect my point more clearly. – Chanoch Oct 8 '10 at 14:47

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