11 votes
Accepted

What are the fasts of the 4th, 5th, 7th, and 10th months?

These fasts are counting from Nisan as the first month (the Jewish religious calendar). The fast of the 4th month is 17 Tammuz. The fast of the 5th month is 9 Av. Here, the fast of the 7th month is ...
Daniel's user avatar
  • 24.9k
11 votes

Why do we leyn before mincha but after shacharis?

This question was asked on kipa.co.il. The answer given by R. Ronen Lebovitz was: וזאת משום שבשחרית יש לסמוך את קריאת שמע לעמידה, ולכן קריאת התורה באה רק לאחר העמידה. טעם נוסף הוא שהתפילות תוקנו ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 43.4k
9 votes
Accepted

Who is "the author of the Shulchan Aruch" in this teshuvah of Rashbash?

The Machon Yerushalayim edition of the teshuvos, which is available on Otzar Chochmah, has a footnote that asks your question and suggests "the author of the Shulchan Aruch" was added by mistake at ...
Heshy's user avatar
  • 9,176
8 votes
Accepted

Chatam Sofer on Tenth of Tevet falling on the Shabbat

I just wrote about this topic for a devar Torah, which can be read here. In my Mafteach for Derashos Chasam Sofer they show that the Chasam Sofer addresses this Abudraham almost a dozen times in that ...
robev's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

Did the Jewish soldiers fast before war?

As it turns out, I think my father-in-law found the answer in שולחן ערוך אֹרח חיים, תקע״א (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Taf Kuf Ayin Aleph) עִיר שֶׁהִקִּיפוּהָ עַכּוּ''ם, וְכֵן יָחִיד הַנִּרְדָּף ...
ejgreenwald's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

Why is fasting not permitted in the first 12 day of Sivan?

R Eli Mansour explains here During the times of the Beth Hamikdash, those who were unable to bring their sacrifices on the day of Shavuot itself – which in Israel is celebrated only on the ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 51.8k
7 votes

What happens if an individual accidentally says Aneinu before Re'eh instead of during Shema Koleinu?

The Kaf HaChaim writes here that you fulfilled your obligation if you accidentally says it as a stand-alone Beracha before Re'eh. Therefore: 1 - You do not say it again in Shema Koleinu. 2 - It was ...
פרי זהב's user avatar
7 votes

Looking for Ibn Ezra Riddle

I found the riddle written here, here and here (and mentioned in a couple of other places where it seems to have been written by memory and may not necessarily be the correct order of the riddle), but ...
Harel13's user avatar
  • 25.6k
6 votes

Should a child wash his hands before eating on Yom Kippur?

The Shulchan Aruch (OC 613:1) stresses that only bathing/washing for pleasure is prohibited on Yom Kippur. Elsewhere (Kesef Mishneh, Laws of Prayer 7:8) he quotes the Ran (R. Nissim) who states that ...
Oliver's user avatar
  • 12k
6 votes

Is eating with a peg allowed on a fast day

The Falk-Shlesinger Institute for Medical Research according to Torah associated with Shaarei Tzedek hospital has a long article on artificial feeding on Yom Kippur. It asks three questions, one of ...
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
6 votes

Why did Rebbe want to get rid of Tishah b’Av Nidcheh?

1 - The Or Sameach תענית ה/ו writes that according to the Avodraham that fasting on Shabbos is only forbidden mi'd'oraisa if it's for the full 24 hours, there is an answer to your question, about the ...
פרי זהב's user avatar
6 votes

is it permitted to swallow spit on a fast day?

See Magen Avraham, OC 567:8: כ' האגודה פ"י דיומא מותר לבלוע הרוק ביה"כ ובב"ח סי' תרי"ב משמע קצת דלדידן דקי"ל דאפי' אוכלין שאין ראוים לאכילה אסור לכתחלה גם הרוק אסור לבלוע ול&...
kouty's user avatar
  • 22.8k
6 votes
Accepted

Talmudic concept of a sensitive individual--"istus?"

I am not aware of an istus but there a closely related concept word: an istenis is indeed a delicate person. It appears in a number of different contexts in the Talmud, for instance someone who is ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 51.8k
6 votes

Must one fast if her stomach hurts?

On 17 Tammuz, like on Tzom Gedalyia and 10 Tevet, the law is that One who is ill, even if his life is not in danger, should not fast (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:9) adds the Mishna Brura (550:4) ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 51.8k
5 votes

Can women pray when on their period?

In general, the state of being a menstruant does not place limitations on religious obligations. My understanding was in line with this statement: " When she is niddah a woman must continue to do all ...
rosends's user avatar
  • 38.3k
5 votes

Placement of Aneinu on the day of a fast

Peninei Halachah brings a citation from the Rama 565:3 that we consider that an individual might be forced to break the fast before having fasted most of the day. Once he has fasted until mincha, then ...
sabbahillel's user avatar
  • 43.1k
5 votes
Accepted

Why is the torah reading for minor fast days different by just one verse from when that reading occurs in the regular cycle?

R. Eliyahu Katz has a responsum where he was asked precisely (well not precisely) this question! The basic idea is that on fast days we want to read the next verse because it is a consolation, and we ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.3k
5 votes
Accepted

What activities, other than eating and drinking, are forbidden on minor fast days?

Orach Chayyim 550:2 states: צומות הללו, חוץ מתשעה באב, מותרים ברחיצה וסיכה ונעילת הסנדל ותשמיש המטה.‏ On these fasts, except Tish'ah B'Av, one may wash oneself, anoint oneself, wear shoes, and have ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 43.4k
5 votes

Is listening to Music on the fast of Asarah BeTevet permitted?

In the Shulchan Aruch it does not say that music is prohibited on the 10th of Tevet, however the Mishnah Berurah (550:6) writes that a person who can (and is a ba’al nefesh) should preferably accept ...
rikitikitembo's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

Why isn't Ta'anit Esther on Friday?

The Meiri, in defending the custom of Provence to fast on Friday 12 Adar against the claims of the students of the Ramban who fasted on Thursday 11 Adar, notes the claims of the students of the Ramban ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 99.1k
5 votes

Regretting intentionally breaking a fast

O.C 568:1 נדר להתענות יום זה ושכח ואכל משלים תעניתו והוא הדין אם היה תענית חלום או שהיה תענית צבור או שהיה יום ידוע לו להתענות כיום שמת בו אביו או רבו One who vowed to fast for a day, but forgot and ...
aBochur's user avatar
  • 3,859
5 votes
Accepted

Why not start BaHaB on Iyar / Marcheshvan 3?

The לוח דבר בעיתו explains (regarding Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5769) that the reason we don't announce בה"ב on Rosh Chodesh is that: אין מברכים את המתענים בה"ב בחדש ניסן או בשבת ר"ח, השבת הקרובה, כמו ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
5 votes

Day of Yosef’s Sale

As far as I can tell, you didn't see it in a traditional "Midrash", since I've researched it pretty seriously and haven't come up with anything. However, in a fairly recent "Midrash&...
רבות מחשבות's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

Is it permissible to learn Hilchot Teshuva on Tisha Beav?

Not only is it permissible, but it is correct to do so according to the Meiri (Moed Katan 21a- Aveilus) . The Meiri explains that learning things that arouses one to do teshuva is a good thing. See ...
sam's user avatar
  • 41.8k
5 votes

Is there a source for Pidyon Haben seuda equivalent to 84 fasts?

This idea is quoted by the Sdei Chemed (Mareches Samech, Klal 54) who relates of an incident where he declined an invitation to a pidyon haben in Jerusalem in the year 5659. In response, he was told ...
chortkov2's user avatar
  • 9,500
5 votes

Why was Yom HaShoah not established as a fast day?

This is because Yom HaShoah is held on the 27th of Nissan, and it is halachically forbidden to establish a fast during the month of Nissan. (the fast of the firstborn does not fall under this ...
יהושע ק's user avatar
4 votes

Listerine strips on Yom Kippur and Pesach

I was just recently asked this shaila, so I told the shoel to contact Rav Shachter directly. Here's what happened: "After trying a few times I finally got through. He was very nice and patient! ...
Shmerel's user avatar
  • 116
4 votes

Headache remedy on a fast day?

The Toronto Kollel has developed a sustained-timed release caffeine capsule which is taken before the ta'anis and begins to release 8 to 10 hours later. It has been available for many years and ...
Jacob Michael's user avatar
4 votes
Accepted

Why is there no Kaddish after Torah reading at mincha on a fast day?

See Magen Avrraham OC 292 SK 2 The reason is that there is nothing between the eventually (and not existing) kaddich after the third ole and the kaddich before Tefilah shmona esre. The source is in ...
kouty's user avatar
  • 22.8k

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