Questions tagged [fast-days]
Days where Jews refrain from eating and drinking.
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Accepting a fast upon oneself after the prayer of Mincha
If someone wants to do a personal fast (taanit) and forgot to receive it during Mincha. Can he still receive it after Mincha before the day is out? What should he recite?
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Does Judaism forbid fasting on Fridays and Saturdays? If so, where is this rule written and what is the reasoning behind it?
I was reading the deuterocanonical Book of Judith, and I came across the following:
Judith had lived as a widow in her house for three years and four months.
She pitched a tent for herself on ...
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1answer
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Is one forbidden to fast between Yom Kippur and Sukot?
I heard once that one shouldn’t fast between Yom Kippur and the end of Sukot , not sure its reason or if it’s an accurate statement
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3answers
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What's the point of fasting?
What does fasting do? Is it to put us in a certain mindset? If so how does it do so? Does the pain itself atone? If so how and why? Or is it some other reason?
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1answer
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Fast some other day if can't fast on Yom Kippur?
If someone is sufficiently ill on Yom Kippur to be halachically allowed to eat, would there be any value in him fasting for a whole day after he gets well? I'm sure it would be voluntary, but is it ...
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Adjust the selicho “מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי" when the kehillo is not fasting on Yom Kippur Koton?
Related: Who observes Yom Kippur Katan, and how?
In the mincha service of Yom Kippur Koton, the selicho “מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי” is said:
1 חזן מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת עֶרֶב רְצֵה נָא בְכֹשֶׁר, ...
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1answer
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What to do if bar mitzvah is on a fast day
Just out of curiosity, what does one do if his bar mitzvah falls on a fast day such as Yom Kippur or Tisha BeAv or any other of the 6 fast days?
Is the seudah passed on to the next day? The previous ...
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Who should NOT accept upon himself a voluntary fast?
Taanit 12b states that only if one has the ability is fasting positive.
The Shulchan Aruch (YD 245:17) states that a melamed a Torah teacher of children should not fast, (see Aruch ha-Shulchan) a ...
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1answer
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When were these fasts observed?
The Tur (Orach Chayim 580), quoting the Bahag (Laws of the Ninth of Av), gives a list of days on which to fast. This list is copied or mentioned by some other rishonim (as quoted in the footnote to ...
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1answer
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Meaningful ways to spend Tisha b'Av?
I am struggling a bit on Tisha b'Av to find meaningful ways to spend the day. I am looking for advice on meaningful activities that fulfill the intent of the day (mourning for Jerusalem and the ...
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3answers
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Why did Rebbe want to get rid of Tishah b’Av Nidcheh?
Megillah 5a-b:
אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא רבי נטע נטיעה בפורים ורחץ בקרונה של צפורי בשבעה עשר בתמוז ובקש לעקור תשעה באב ולא הודו לו אמר לפניו רבי אבא בר זבדא רבי לא כך היה מעשה אלא תשעה באב שחל ...
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1answer
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Nosebleed during fast
What does Halacha bring down about nosebleed during a fast? Can one flush out their nose with water? On fasts in which washing the hands and/or body is prohibited, would one be permitted to wash ...
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1answer
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Caffeine while fasting
May a person take a caffeine tablet during their fast? The tablet would be placed under the tongue and dissolved without drinking any water so no food or water would be ingested.
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1answer
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When a seudat mitzvah and minor fast both fall on Shabbat
The 31st day of a bechor's life falls on 17 Tammuz, which this year falls on Shabbat. The ta'anit for 17 Tammuz is observed the following day, on 18 Tammuz.
Should the Pidyon HaBen be postponed to ...
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2answers
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Do parts of a minor fast start before morning?
I've always understood that minor fasts run from morning (a bit before dawn) until nightfall. An answer to What activities (other than eating and drinking) are forbidden on minor fasts?, however, ...
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1answer
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Why is fasting not permitted in the first 12 day of Sivan?
The Yahrzeit for my father falls on 7 Sivan. In the past it was always my custom to fast on 8 Sivan unless it was a Shabbat. Then I would fast on 9 Sivan.
This came up in discussion with my (Chabad) ...
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Why is an infant firstborn child not simply exempt from the firstborns' fast?
The Fast of the First Born was instituted for the day before the first Passover Seder.
I have an older brother, so I'm not obligated to fast then. But my first child was a son, and he is obligated to ...
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1answer
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Firstborn is sick on erev Pesach
What is the halacha regarding the fast if a firstborn is sick on erev Pesach and can't attend a siyum?
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1answer
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Why is there no Kaddish after Torah reading at mincha on a fast day?
Every Torah reading is followed by half Kaddish, except for Shabbat and fast day mincha.
Mishnah Berurah #4 on O.C. 292:1 says that on Shabbat and fast days we don't say Kaddish after Torah reading ...
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Why are the “five afflictions” applied to Tish'a B'Av?
This answer explains how the 5 forms of affliction are derived. I understand that on Yom Kippur, the Torah specifically says that we should afflict ourselves.
WHy are these 5 afflictions applied to ...
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1answer
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Can one say the fast-day selichos before the morning prayers?
There seem to be two sorts of selichos: (1) those in Elul and the 10 days of Repentance and (2) the selichos for fast days.
Type (1) are typically said before all the morning prayers and type (2) ...
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1answer
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Throat lozenge on fast day
If someone has a sore throat on a fast day (excluding yom kippur) may he suck on a throat lozenge (Ricola)* or do we consider that breaking the fast?
*throat lozenge has flavor and one needs to make ...
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1answer
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Is eating with a peg allowed on a fast day
A cancer patient who cant use his mouth has his food going straight into the lower stomach using what is called a peg. It is a milk based food which is considered kosher but not for pesach according ...
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2answers
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Are breastfeeding mothers exempt from fasting on Yom Kippur?
If a mother is breastfeeding, is she obligated to fast on days such as yom kippur? If not, is there some traditional/symbolic gesture women practice, for example abstaining from their favorite foods?
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1answer
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Should a child wash his hands before eating on Yom Kippur?
I know that you're not allowed to eat or wash on Yom Kippur. But suppose a child (not obligated to fast) is going to eat bread - should he wash his hands before eating it?
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Source for Rema re: Fasting in Sefer Tanya
Orach Chaim Simman 580 Seif 1 the SA writes
אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים שֶׁאֵרְעוּ בָּהֶם צָרוֹת לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְרָאוּי לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בָּהֶם; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּקְּצָתָם בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר ...
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Why is Tisha b'Av stricter than other mitzvos with regard to rabbinical prohibitions for a choleh?
Why is Tisha b'Av apparently stricter than other mitzvos--including Shabbos--with regards to rabbinical prohibitions for a choleh? On Shabbos, one who is in a state of choleh kol gufo (debilitating ...
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1answer
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Burying a body and fasting on tisha bav
If one needs to bury a body on tisha bav but there is a heat wave, should the person refrain from burying the body until after tisha bav as to not have to break the fast? Or does the mitzvah of מת ...
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Are movies allowed in Tishe bAv?
i realised some of shuls,including Orthodox and Chabad, will air flims on Tisha bAv, after the fast starts. They included films about topics like fighting got Eretz Yisrael.
What is the halacha about ...
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1answer
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Breaking a fast with meat
Someone told me that it's assur (or inappropriate? either way...) to break any fast with meat. They didn't have a source, and I wasn't familiar with one, so I looked into it. I only found one relevant ...
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1answer
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Saying tachanun on a fast day when there is a chatan
Tachanun is not said when there is a Chatan in the minyan. However, on a fast day, Tachanun is usually said with Selichot. So if there is a chatan in a minyan on a fast day, would you say Selichot ...
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Why is dreaming of getting married considered a disturbance?
I know that this is a pretty mystical question, but is anyone able to provide an explanation as to why the Shulchan Aruch (OH 288:5) says that seeing oneself get married in a dream is considered bad ...
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1answer
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Fasting, what and when a Daniel fast is appropriate [closed]
I would like to know, what is exactly a Daniel fast? when it is appropriate to do and how to do it?
Thank you for your reply
Justine
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1answer
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Why do we fast on Taanis Esther in particular?
I am aware that according to the Avudraham, the fast commemorates the war in the Purim story.
According to this answer, why is Taanis Esther unique that we fast in memory of the war, when there are ...
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1answer
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Regretting intentionally breaking a fast
My daughter asked me what would happen if someone started the day not fasting -- intentionally! He wakes and says "this is dumb so I'm having breakfast." Then, due to some intervening act or ...
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Fast days for a person with an eating disorder
Does anyone know of a posek who has written about people with eating disorders (I know there are many types of eating disorders) or people who have recovered from an eating disorder regarding whether ...
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Who fasted with Ester?
The Bavli, M'gila, says that the seven servants that Ester had while in Hegay's harem were שהיתה מונה בהן ימי שבת, used by Ester to count the days of the week. Rashi explains שהיתה משרתת לה אחת באחד ...
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4answers
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Why isn't Ta'anit Esther on Friday?
When Purim (i.e., the 14th of Adar) occurs on Sunday, the fast of Esther is moved back to Thursday, Adar 11. Why isn't it moved to Friday Adar 12?
It's not as if we don't already have fast days that ...
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Seudat Mitzvah on a Personal Fast Day
May a person who accepts upon himself a personal fast eat a seudat mitzvah? For example, if a person finds himself at a bris on the day he accepted to fast, is he able to eat?
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Why no bracha on fasting?
Fasting is a commandment. At first blush it seems like a negative commandment, but the Biblical commandment is to afflict our souls (on Yom Kippur), and fasting is one way we do that. So, that ...
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Why do Kollelim have only half a day on Fast Days? [closed]
Why does BMG in Lakewood close the Yeshiva in the afternoon of a ta'anis like I witnessed on Asarah Ba'teives? Since when are people so weak that it has become seemingly impossible to learn on a fast ...
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2answers
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Did the Jewish soldiers fast before war?
The Mishna Berura in תרפו, ב talks about how in the days of Mordechai and Esther the Jews must have fasted because it was a time when they needed mercy just like when the Jews went to war against ...
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Has any commentary explained why the Torah reading for fast days doesn't begin at a parsha?
Every public Torah reading, except for two, begins at a parsha (the start of a new "paragraph" as written in a Torah scroll.)
The two exceptions are:
Vayechi which has a space of just one letter ...
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3answers
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Fasting only physical?
What's the meaning of fasts, is it only a physical deed of abstain from food and drinks? Because often in scriptures it's listed or placed in context of prayer, repentance, mourning or done to show a ...
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3answers
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Why did Esther fast for 3 days?
Why 3 days?
I can't understand it by reading the story, but maybe someone else can?
Why that number of days.
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1answer
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Difference between “taanit” and “tzom”?
Is there a difference between taanit and tzom and what is it? At first I thought it was the difference between public and private fasts, but there are public and private taanit so that is not the case....
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Different fast days
I'm looking for a list of ALL of the fast days observed by certain Jews and why.
What are some fast days observed by certain groups of Jews. As an example, some Jews have the custom of fasting the ...
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2answers
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What counts as a private fast?
Before a private fast day, one must stipulate the day before that he will be fasting, traditionally done at the end of the Mincha Shemona Esrei (Artscroll Siddur).
What classifies as a private fast? ...
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Can you fast for half a day?
Is there any story in the torah or talmud about, half a day fast?
Like from morning until dinner?
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1answer
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Why do women need to fast?
It seems like fast (with the exception of Tisha B'av and Yom Kippur) is a time bound Mitzva. I exclude Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av because they are all day fasts, so they don't seem to be just time ...
