THE FIVE FASTS
Maimonides wrote: There are days when all Jews fast because of the calamities that occurred on those dates, in order to arouse our hearts to repentance. These fasts memorialize our bad deeds and our forefathers’ deeds that were like our present deeds, which finally caused these calamities to them and us. When we remember these things we repent and improve our ways, as it is said, “And they shall confess their sins and their fathers’ sins.”
The third of Tishrei: G’dalyah son of Achikam was assassinated on this day. After the destruction of the first Temple, Nebuchadnezer appointed him to govern the Jews left in the land of Israel, and because of arguments and baseless hatred, Yishma’el son of N’tanya murdered him. Because of his death, thousands of other Jews were killed, and the rest were exiled, and all hope to rebuild the Temple and unite the nation was abated for many years. In the words of Maimonides, “on this day G’dalyah son of Achikam was killed, and the last embers of Israel were extinguished and the exile became complete.”
The tenth of Tevet: On this day Nebuchadnezer, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and isolated it under a total siege, and this led to the destruction of the first Temple and the nation’s exile.
The seventeenth of Tamuz: Five calamities occurred on this day. [A] The two tablets (of the ten commandments) were broken when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw the Golden Calf, [B] The tamid (daily sacrifice) stopped being offered up in the days of the first Temple, [C] the walls of Jerusalem were breached in the days of the second Temple, [D] the wicked Apostamos burned a Sefer Torah, [E] wicked Jews erected an idol in the Holy Sanctuary of the Temple, and some say that it was Apostamos who erected it. These events caused the destruction of the Temple and to the exile of the Jews.
Even though, during the days of the first Temple, the walls of Jerusalem were breached on the ninth of Tamuz, as is written, “On the ninth day of the fourth month the hunger in the city intensified… and the (walls of the) city were breached,” but since the walls were breached in the days of the second Temple on the seventeenth of Tamuz, the fast was fixed on that day, since the second destruction is more agonizing to us. Our sages did not proclaim two fasts, one on the ninth and one on the seventeenth, in order not to burden the public, nor should an individual be stringent on himself in this matter. In addition, the Jerusalem Talmud states that also in the days of the first Temple the city’s walls were actually breached on the seventeenth of the month, but because of all the troubles at the time people erred as to the date.
The ninth of Av: On this day five tragedies occurred to the Jewish nation. [A] When the spies returned and spoke badly about the land of Israel, and the nation cried for no reason on this day, it was decreed that our forefathers in the desert would not enter the land of Israel. This day became a day predestined for future generations to cry, as well. [B-C] The greatest catastrophes, that on this day both Temples were destroyed. [D] The city of Beitar, which was a large city inhabited by tens of thousands of Jews, was conquered, [E] The wicked Turnus-Rufus ploughed the ground of the Holy Sanctuary of the Temple and its surroundings, fulfilling the prophesy, “Zion will be ploughed like a field.”
Maimonides wrote, “On the ninth of Av five events occurred. It was decreed on our forefathers in the desert that they would not enter the land of Israel, the first and second Temples were destroyed, the large city of Beitar was conquered. That city had tens of thousands of Jews, and a mighty king, and all of the Jews and some great sages thought that he would be the Messiah, and he was captured by the gentiles and they killed him and all the inhabitants, and there was great sorrow akin to that of the destruction of the Holy Temple. On that day, preordained for terrible events, the wicked Turnus-Rufus, of Edom royalty, ploughed the Sanctuary of the Temple and its surroundings, fulfilling the prophesy, ‘Zion will be ploughed like a field.’”
The fast of Esther: This fast was decreed for a number of reasons, one of them being that the Jews fasted on the thirteenth of Adar when they battled their enemies in the events of Purim. This day is well-suited to vanquish the power of anti-Semites descended from Amalek. Therefore our sages proclaimed this day as a day of fasting, so that our fast will spiritually weaken those who oppose us. There are other reasons for this fast, as well.
The importance of the fasts: Some say that these fasts are a mitzvah enacted by the prophets, and some say that their observance nowadays was enacted by the sages.
A person should examine one’s deeds on these days, since their main purpose is repentance, and not the fasts themselves. Changing one’s deeds can annul unfavorable decrees, as we find with the city of Nineveh. When Jonah declared, “In another forty days Nineveh will be overturned,” its denizens fasted and changed their evil ways, and thus brought about the annulment of the decree against their city. Our sages, of blessed memory, taught us that the decree was annulled because they mended their ways, and not on account of their fast, for it says, “And God saw their deeds, that they repented from their evil way,” as opposed to saying, “And God saw their fasting and sackcloth.” This teaches us that repentance causes the annulment of the decree, and the fasting is mere preparation for repentance. Therefore, those who spend a fast day on a trip or engage in idle pastimes are observing the side detail (the fast), but missing the point (repentance).
When a person repents from his individual sins, sometimes he needs to fast in order to break bad traits and desires, and sometimes he can correct himself in other ways, such as learning Torah. However, on the five fasts, and on any other fast which is proclaimed for the public as a whole, it is forbidden to separate oneself from the community and say, “I’m willing to repent and fix my evil ways, but I’m not interested in fasting.” Someone who separates himself from the congregation and doesn’t share their troubles and doesn’t fast with them will have no portion in the world to come — even though he performed mitzvot and did good deeds.
A person will rejoice in the happiness of the rebuilding of Jerusalem in proportion with the grief which he had over its destruction, as is written, “Gladden us like our days of affliction, the years when we saw bad.” As the prophet Isaiah said, “Rejoice with it (Jerusalem) and be happy, all those who mourned for it.”
Any trouble: On any serious trouble, may they not occur to anybody, it is a mitzvah for all Jews to fast and pray to God, whether the trouble is public or individual. If a person is unable to fast, for instance he is ill, or he is fleeing from enemies and requires all of his strength, then he should accept upon himself to fast later as many fasts as he thinks appropriate after he is saved, and that will be considered as though he fasted now. Similarly we find with Daniel that it is written, “And he (the angel) said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for your words have been heard from the very first day you decided to start praying and fasting in front of your Lord.’”
PRAYERS ON FAST DAYS
Aneinu: Individuals say Aneinu in the Amidah in the paragraph Shomei’ah t’fillah, and the chazzan says it as a separate blessing in between the paragraphs Go’eil Yisra’eil and R’fa’einu.
According to the Shulchan Aruch, one starts saying Aneinu from the night before the fast, even though one eats that very night. However, the custom of most Sephardim is to say Aneinu only at Shacharit and Minchah. Nevertheless, on the ninth of Av, when we start fasting from the evening, most Sephardim say Aneinu at all three prayers, night, morning and afternoon.
The Ashkenazic custom is that the chazzan says Aneinu in the repetition of the Amidah at Shacharit and Minchah, and the individuals say it at Minchah only. It is said at Minchah even if one prays Minchah G’dolah.
If an individual forgot to say Aneinu and has not yet said God’s name in the conclusion of the blessing Shomei’ah t’fillah, he should say it on the spot and also repeat the rest of Shomei’ah t’fillah which is normally said after Aneinu. If, however, he has already mentioned God’s name, he should finish the blessing, and say Aneinu at the end of Elokai n’tzor.
If the chazzan forgot Aneinu, and has said no more than Baruch Attah of the blessing R’fa’einu, he should say Aneinu on the spot, with God’s name as usual, and then say the blessing R’fa’einu again. If he has already said God’s name at the end of R’fa’einu, then he should say it in Shomei’ah t’fillah without its conclusion of Baruch Attah… tzarah. If he forgot to say it in Shomei’ah t’fillah as well, then he should say it after Yih’yu l’ratzon.
According to the Shulchan Aruch, the chazzan doesn’t say Aneinu unless there are ten men in the synagogue who are fasting and praying now. The custom, however, is that on public fasts it is sufficient that six men who are praying are fasting. According to the Mishnah B’rurah, ideally at least seven men should be fasting.
Someone who is not fasting shouldn’t be chazzan. If, though, there is nobody else who can be chazzan, and there are at least six men present who are fasting, then the chazzan shouldn’t say Aneinu in his private Amidah, nor should he say it in the repetition of the Amidah as a blessing by itself, rather he should say it in the repetition of the Amidah in the course of the blessing Shomei’ah t’fillah, like an individual. In this case a chazzan reciting the Ashkenazic prayers should not say the word ta’aniteinu (our fast), but instead say yom tzom ta’anit hazeh (on this day of fasting), since he himself is not fasting.
One doesn’t say Aneinu in Maariv (evening prayers) after the fast, even though one is still fasting.
Reading of the Torah: Only men who are fasting may be called up to the Torah on fast days, even when the fast occurs on a Monday or a Thursday. If the only Cohen on the premises is not fasting, he should leave the room where the Sefer Torah is being read, and a Yisrael should be called up in his place.
If someone who is not fasting is called up to the Torah, he should not go up. Some authorities say that if there are difficult circumstances and it will be a desecration of God’s name (chillul Hashem) if he doesn’t go up, then he should go up. Someone who isn’t fasting cannot read the Torah for others (i.e., can’t be Ba’al Korei).
If he has reason to believe that he may be called up to the Torah and he is not fasting, he should leave the room before the beginning of the reading.
Haftarah: Some have the custom to read a Haftarah on fast days at Minchah. Most Sepharadim, though, say it on the ninth of Av only.
In communities that read the Haftarah, it is read by the third person to be called up to the Torah. If he is unable to read it, the Levi who was called up to the Torah should read it. If he, too, is unable, then the Cohen who was called up to the Torah should read it. If he, too, is unable, then one of the congregants should read it.
A Sephardic Jew who was called up to the Torah third in an Ashkenazic synagogue may read the Haftarah with the blessings, since he must follow the custom of the congregation, and also because there are some Sephardim whose custom is to read the Haftarah on fast days.
On Minchah on fast days one says in the paragraph Elokai N’tzor before the second Yih’yu l’ratzon the following insertion: Master of all the worlds, it is clear and well-known to You that in the times when the Temple stood, a person who sinned brought a sacrifice. Even though only its fat and blood were actually offered up, it atoned for the person. I have now fasted, and have reduced my fat and blood. May it be Your will that my fat and blood which I have lost be considered as though I offered them up on the altar in front of You, and may You accept them.”
PROHIBITIONS
Washing, anointing, wearing shoes, and marital relations are permitted on Tzom G’dalyah, the tenth of Tevet, Ta’anit Esther and the seventeenth of Tamuz. Someone who is healthy and wants to be careful, should be stringent about all of the above as though it was the ninth of Av, except concerning not wearing shoes, which people would look at as very unusual. Also, on the night of his wife’s immersion he should not be stringent about refraining from marital relations.
Rinsing one’s mouth with water: This is forbidden on every public fast. It is also forbidden to taste food, even if one spits it out after tasting. However, if a person accepted upon himself a private fast, he may taste and spit out the food, and also may rinse his mouth with water. Some authorities, though, are stringent about this.
Washing, anointing, wearing shoes, and marital relations are forbidden on the ninth of Av. These are forbidden even for someone who is not fasting because he is sick or the like, unless he requires them for medical reasons.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers: These women are exempt from fasting on Tzom G’dalyah, the tenth of Tevet, Ta’anit Esther and the seventeenth of Tamuz. The exemption of pregnancy applies only after three months of pregnancy. The exemption of nursing applies only if she actually nurses her child (as opposed to the opinion that one is considered “nursing” the first twenty-four months after birth, whether or not she nurses). However, if a pregnant woman or mother who recently gave birth is very weak, then she is considered like someone who is sick, and is exempt from fasting even if there is no real danger in her fasting. If there is a medically grounded danger that a pregnant woman may miscarry, Heaven forbid, then she may eat even if she is not weak, and even in the first months of pregnancy.
Women who are pregnant or nursing may be stringent on themselves and fast even when they are exempt, but as soon as they feel discomfort they are forbidden to fast.
Someone who is permitted to eat on these fasts doesn’t have to eat in small portions as on Yom Kippur. He may eat normally. Nonetheless, he shouldn’t indulge in refreshments, rather he should eat that which he needs for his health only.
Nowadays the custom is that all people start the fast, even those who are exempt from the fast, and if they don’t feel well, then they eat.
A pregnant woman who smelled a fruit and has a craving for it may eat it, and blesses Shehecheyanu on it if it’s a new fruit.
A minor: A minor (boy under the age of thirteen or girl under the age of twelve) who understands the mourning over Jerusalem should be educated to fast a bit with the congregation, by delaying his meal somewhat. It is proper to teach him not to eat refreshments, in order to mourn together with the congregation.
A minor who doesn’t understand the mourning, may eat refreshments.
A regular person (who’s obligated to fast) who ate on a public fast day must not eat during the rest of the fast, and it makes no difference whether he ate by mistake or on purpose. In addition, he should ask a rabbi how many private fasts he should observe to atone for his sin of eating on a fast day.
Someone who accidentally ate on a fast less than an olive’s weight of food, or drank less than a r’vi’it, may still say Aneinu in the Amidah, and even may be chazzan. Some say that even if he ate or drank more than those amounts by accident he may still say Aneinu and be chazzan, and that is the correct halachic opinion.
Someone who doesn’t fast because of sickness or old age may not say in Aneinu “on this fast day,” and certainly cannot be chazzan.
If one forgot that it is a fast day and made a blessing on food, and realized before eating that it’s a fast day, some authorities say that he should eat a little bit, so his blessing won’t be in vain. Their reasoning is that a blessing in vain is a Torah prohibition, which overrides the rabbinical prohibition of eating on these fasts. Other authorities say that he should not eat, since there’s no point in him transgressing yet another sin — it’s enough that he said the blessing in vain, he shouldn’t now knowingly break a rabbinical prohibition by eating. The custom is like the latter opinion.
THE TIME OF THE FASTS
It is permissible to eat on the nights before Tzom G’dalyah, the tenth of Tevet, Ta’anit Esther and the seventeenth of Tamuz, until dawn (Amud hashachar), assuming one has not slept soundly yet. However, it is forbidden to eat or drink after sleeping soundly. If one said or thought before sleeping, “I have the intention to eat before dawn,” (the exact wording is unimportant), then one may eat.
Even someone who regularly drinks upon getting up before dawn, must say or think “I have the intention to drink before dawn” before going to sleep. According to the R”ma, if someone regularly drinks before dawn, he doesn’t need to say or think this. The Mishnah B’rurah, though, wrote that it is better to be stringent and say or think it. According to the holy Zohar, he shouldn’t eat before dawn, even if he said before going to sleep that he intends to eat before dawn. The custom is to be lenient and rely on saying this concerning drinking before dawn, but not to rely on this concerning eating. Someone who’s uncertain whether he’ll be able to fast if he doesn’t eat before dawn shouldn’t be stringent about eating, either.
It is permissible to eat more than usual before the fast, and there’s no need to be stringent about this.
On Tzom G’dalyah, the tenth of Tevet, and the seventeenth of Tamuz, it is proper to be stringent and not eat meat the night before or the night after the fast. (Concerning before and after the ninth of Av, see Chapters 25 and 29.) However, if the fast is on Sunday, then one may eat on Motza’ei Shabbat (Saturday night) meat at the fourth meal (M’laveh Malkah).
On the night before a fast one shouldn’t have happy gatherings nor hear any song at all.
The fast of the ninth of Av begins with sunset. After sunset, it is forbidden to eat, even though it is not yet nightfall (tzeit hakochavim). There is no need to start the fast before sunset.
Someone who accepted on himself the fast before sunset may not eat or drink from that time on. If one only thought that one is accepting the fast but didn’t say it, some authorities say that one may still eat, but the custom is to be stringent and not to eat.
FAST THAT FALLS ON SHABBAT OR FRIDAY
If a fast falls on Shabbat, we postpone it until after Shabbat, since as a principle we do not reschedule fasts to an earlier date. An exception to this is the fast of Esther; if the thirteenth of Adar falls on Shabbat, then we fast the previous Thursday.
If the tenth of Tevet falls on Friday, we fast until nightfall, and at Minchah we read the Torah portion for fast days, but we do not say Tachanun. In both the private Amidah and the repetition of the Amidah we say Aneinu. Minchah should be prayed earlier than usual, in order to pray Maariv at the earliest possible time. If Maariv was concluded before nightfall (Tzeit Hakochavim) the congregation should be reminded that it is prohibited to eat until nightfall, and that they should repeat all three paragraphs of K’ri’at Sh’ma after nightfall (since that is its proper time).
It is good to remind the congregation not to drink a r’vi’it (86 grams) or more of any drink after kiddush, before blessing Hamotzi and eating challah, since there is a disagreement whether one would need to say the after-blessing in that case. After Hamotzi and eating challah one may drink as one wishes.
A GROOM AND BRIDE
When a fast falls during the first seven days after a wedding (including the wedding day), the groom and bride must fast. Even though the first seven days are like a holiday for them, they are considered a “private holiday,” and the “public” mourning overrides their “private” holiday. Also, they should remember Jerusalem even during the joy of their marriage, as is written, “If I will not raise Jerusalem over my greatest joy.” However, if the fast of Esther falls during their first seven days since the wedding, they do not fast.
If Tzom G’dalyah or the seventeenth of Tamuz were postponed from Shabbat to Sunday, some say that the groom and bride should fast, others say that they shouldn’t fast, and the custom is that they do fast.
If another fast falls during the first seven days after a wedding, for instance the fast of the firstborn (before Passover), or Erev Rosh Hashanah, or a Yahrzeit (date when one’s parent passed away), then the groom and bride should not fast. If they regularly observed this fast, then they should have their vow annulled.
B’RIT MILAH (CIRCUMCISION) ON A FAST DAY
When a B’rit Milah falls on the seventeenth of Tamuz, the tenth of Tevet, or Tzom G’dalyah, we circumcise the baby on that day, and don’t postpone the B’rit Milah.
If the fast was postponed to Sunday, and the B’rit Milah is on Sunday, some authorities say that the baby’s father fasts, and others say that he doesn’t fast. The custom is that he does fast, and the meal is held after the fast.
On the ninth of Av, whether it’s postponed or not, everybody must fast, including the baby’s father. The father, mother, mohel (circumciser), sandek (one who holds the baby while being circumcised), and sandakit (woman who brings the baby) may change and wear nice clothes in honor of the B’rit Milah.
When a B’rit Milah is held on Ta’anit Esther, whether or not it’s on the thirteenth of Adar, the parents, mohel, sandek and sandakit do not fast.