Showing posts with label fast day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fast day. Show all posts
Dec 19, 2023
Interesting Psak: fasting while fighting
This year, this week, we get to experience the relatively rare Friday fast day, with Asara B'Teves falling out this Friday.
The IDF Rabbinate has paskened that IDF soldiers who are in combat must eat rather than fast this Friday. Soldiers in combat have to be battle fit, ready for any military ops at all times and cant be worn out, tired, sick, from fasting.
The above applies to combat soldiers and equally to soldiers who are not yet in combat but could be sent into combat at any moment. Additionally, it applies to soldiers in other security roles including guard duty on various bases not on the front lines.
And additionally, the above applies to mechanics who must keep vehicles and planes ready and in combat shape - anybody who must be ready for physical activity for the war effort.
The IDF Rabbinate explained further that anyone who needs to eat on the fast for combat reasons must eat regularly and normally without hiding the food from others. Anyone who must eat for combat purposes and then at some point during the day no longer needs to, should fast the rest of the day.
Soldiers serving in non-combat roles but in combat support roles, such as in control rooms and other support roles should do their work on 10 Teves without eating but anyone who feels his functioning is slacking because of the fast should ask the rav of his unit to weigh the requirements and capabilities of any specific role and may be able to eat and drink.
There are a lot of soldiers not in combat but waiting to be given orders. In the meantime they are hanging out in the staging areas near the Gaza border and active in training to prepare for possible entry. The IDF Rabbinate paskened for these soldiers to continue training as normal and as needed even if that means they wont be able to fast.
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Jul 29, 2020
pregnant women and fasting
Rav Yoni Rosensweig issued a psak regarding pregnant/nursing women and fasting on Tisha B'Av. I did not see the original psak, nor did I search it out, but he himself considers it a lenient psak. I have no comment on the psak, but Rav Rosensweig posted to Facebook a response he received by email regarding his lenient psak. I find the response fascinating.
Here it is:
I am also copying the text of the post here:
As I make clear every year, the ruling I follow with regards to pregnant and nursing mothers as far as fasting is concerned, is somewhat more lenient than what is customary. And while I believe many women find relief in such a ruling, as it makes sense to them in their current situation, it is incumbent upon us to also recognize that there is a form of "collateral damage" that such rulings create.
I recently received an email which adequately expresses this. I have no desire to contend with this email here in this post, but rather to simply let the voice of this woman be heard, as I am sure there are others out there who feel similarly, but have not the words to express it, or the desire to expose their feelings publicly.
"The wonderful lenient psak encouraging pregnant and nursing women not to fast is circulating, providing them with important reassurance that avoiding fasting is the right thing to do. This movement toward bettering the world through logical leniencies in halakha, like exempting women from the unreasonable expectation to fast during the child bearing stage, is uplifting and inspirational. It's comforting to know that our daughters will be armed with better halakhic tools to cope with these challenging years.
Has anyone paused to consider the distressing emotional and spiritual impact of these leniencies on the generations of women who suffered for years, apparently misinformed based on common psak?
With several children and miscarriages behind me, I have never missed one fast Yom Kippur or Tisha Bav. I was taught that's what we are obligated to do. Two of those fasts resulted in actual life-threatening conditions after the fact, and many others in days and weeks of anguish and aggravation suffering premature contractions, babies deprived of breastmilk, and other adverse effects to physical and mental health.
Fasting was a challenge I carried proudly and without resentment, because I believed it to be my halakhic obligation. I view the halakhic system as our framework for our commitment to Torah and to עבודת השם. It's a system I have put my trust in, and have sacrificed for.
While I am thrilled to know that my daughters will not have to similarly suffer, I find those who encourage the change of psak in this generation are unaware of the anguish this causes women of my generation, who felt they suffered needlessly at best, and acted irresponsibly at worst, when they were instructed to do what was essentially a מנהג טעות. I find myself wondering how I can trust a halakhic system that instructed me to risk my health and my infant children, but has now turned and changed its mind, for no apparent reason.
How does one remain committed to a halakhic system that has failed them, when they feel mocked by the system for their own commitment? Fasting compromised my health and the health of my children, it compromised my relationship with my husband due to all the anguish involved, and it demanded enormous sacrifice, that I was happy to take on at the time, and now, in the wake of the common psak, I feel was unfairly misplaced. I consider myself a learned woman; I have studied the texts, I asked all the right questions of a different generation of rabbis. All indications were that fasting was the only option, except in extreme circumstances. That was the predominant psak in our circles twenty years ago. Maintaining commitment to the halakhic system that has failed me in this way, that demanded compromises of health and relationships, is hard enough; but to feel mocked by that same system when nothing has really changed is too much. It makes a mockery of my sacrifice and my suffering.
I encourage you to continue dispensing halakhic leniencies. I understand this is part of the better world we live in, and getting better all the time. It would be a kindness to address the emotional ramifications to women like myself who made the mistake of believing that they were sacrificing for עבודת השם, and now feel mocked by the system. As we approach Tisha Bav, while I am not pregnant or nursing, for the first time in my life I feel disinclined to fast. I feel such mistrust of the system. Who's to say twenty years from now a new psak won't dismiss the next twenty years of fasting?
Thank you for listening".
Wow! Such an interesting perspective. I find it very not intuitive. On the one hand she wants to encourage you to keep publicizing such lenient piskei halacha while on the other hand it upsets her and makes her question what she did. Intuitively, I think, people would generally tell you to stop being so publicly lenient and only issue lenient psak in private, or tell you that you are wrong and the young generation will grow up without the strong commitment we used to have. Her perspective is fascinating. And she is right about the attitude that used to be in place. That is why we have stories like that of Rav Yisrael Salanter making kiddush on the bima on Yom Kippur in the middle of the black plague because otherwise nobody would eat.
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Jul 7, 2020
Interesting Psak: Fasting on 17 Tammuz and 9 Av with CoronaVirus
With the fast of 17 Tammuz fast approaching, in the middle of a pandemic, it raises the question of whether someone with CoronaVirus should fast or not on this upcoming fast day.
I have seen a number of piskei halacha announcements on this and they all seem pretty similar.
Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Lau paskened that anyone sick with CoronaVirus or if one has symptoms of CoronaVirus (cough, difficulty breathing, weakness, etc), that person should not fast. If one has a temperature above 38C (100F) should not fast. Anyone eating because of CoronaVirus (even if he only suspects that he has it) should eat regularly and not bshiurim. Someone in isolation who feels fine, must fast.
source: Hamechadesh
Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein paskened that anybody who has the CoronaVirus must eat on 17 Tammus. If someone is in isolation and thinks they might have cntracted the CoronaVirus, that person should eat "bshiurim" - in measured amounts of food less than a kzayit. If someone who suspects he might have Corona and is in isolation wants to fast anyway, he can only do so if he feels perfectly fine.
This goes for the upcoming Tisha B'Av fast as well.
source: Hamechadesh
Rav Yosef Yitzchak Feigelstock, a Chabad rabbi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, paskened that anywhere that might still have CoronaVirus concerns, people should not fast on 17 Tammuz and 9 Av.
Anywhere there are sick people today, there is still danger. Because the doctors say that fasting makes one more prone to catching CoronaVirus, as the fasting weakens the body and the immune system, people in such places should not fast but should eat normally, without worrying about keeping the measurements down under the "shiurim" rule.
Someone who wants to fast anyway and is completely healthy - better to fast than to go to shul, so he should stay home all day..
source: Haredim10
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Oct 2, 2019
Tzom Gedalya
The common joke about fasting on Tzom Gedalya is "would Gedalya fast for me if I were killed?", considering Tzom Gedalya an extremely minor fast day.
The better question, I think, is, would we fast for Gedalya had he been killed on any other day besides for the day after two days of holiday overeating?
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Jul 19, 2016
if you have a bris coming up on 17 Tammuz consider selling...
We have seen new parents offering for sale the right to name their baby.
I think this might be a little bit stranger. Kikar is reporting on an advertisement in a newspaper (they don't say which) in which a person says he cannot fast on 17 Tammuz and therefore is looking to buy the right to be sandek at a bris. Being that a sandek would not have to fast, he is willing to pay up to $1000 for this right.
Supposedly they called him and he confirmed it, and added that he will only considering buying the sandek rights from a shabbos-observant family. I don't know what is wrong with being sandek at the bris of the baby of a non-shabbos-observant family, as such a sandek still would not fast and it would be the same "segula" and honor, but that is what he wants.
It is definitely a unique way of getting out of a fast, albeit expensive. He probably also figures it is worth spending a lot of money on as being sandek is considered a segula for attaining wealth. He probably just figures he'll get his money back sooner or later.
Unless this is a 13 year old child fasting for the first time (or avoiding fasting), I wonder if he has done this before or if he has fasted before. And, what does he plan to do on Tisha B'av and Yom Kippur that are even longer fasts and this solution won't really help.
I think this might be a little bit stranger. Kikar is reporting on an advertisement in a newspaper (they don't say which) in which a person says he cannot fast on 17 Tammuz and therefore is looking to buy the right to be sandek at a bris. Being that a sandek would not have to fast, he is willing to pay up to $1000 for this right.
Supposedly they called him and he confirmed it, and added that he will only considering buying the sandek rights from a shabbos-observant family. I don't know what is wrong with being sandek at the bris of the baby of a non-shabbos-observant family, as such a sandek still would not fast and it would be the same "segula" and honor, but that is what he wants.
It is definitely a unique way of getting out of a fast, albeit expensive. He probably also figures it is worth spending a lot of money on as being sandek is considered a segula for attaining wealth. He probably just figures he'll get his money back sooner or later.
Unless this is a 13 year old child fasting for the first time (or avoiding fasting), I wonder if he has done this before or if he has fasted before. And, what does he plan to do on Tisha B'av and Yom Kippur that are even longer fasts and this solution won't really help.
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Mar 20, 2016
Chief Rabbi opposes three day fast
were you planning on participating in the 3-day fast that is set to start this evening in order to affect the security situation?
You might (or might not) want to rethink that. According to Yaki Adamker, the Chief Rabbi, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, has said that people should not fast - we are not in the days of Mordechai and Esther and this would cause bittul torah. Rav Yosef said it is enough to fast on Taanis Esther.
I think it is responsible of the Chief Rabbi to speak against it publicly. Such an initiative today should probably only be spread among those close to the initiating mekubalim and not made as a public proclamation. Too many people out there might try it without being able to or taking the proper precautions and get harmed because of it.
If you want more information about the fast and to see what they say about it and how to survive it, or ideas for smaller methods of participation, they set up a website promoting it with all the information, called Hatzom.
You might (or might not) want to rethink that. According to Yaki Adamker, the Chief Rabbi, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, has said that people should not fast - we are not in the days of Mordechai and Esther and this would cause bittul torah. Rav Yosef said it is enough to fast on Taanis Esther.
I think it is responsible of the Chief Rabbi to speak against it publicly. Such an initiative today should probably only be spread among those close to the initiating mekubalim and not made as a public proclamation. Too many people out there might try it without being able to or taking the proper precautions and get harmed because of it.
If you want more information about the fast and to see what they say about it and how to survive it, or ideas for smaller methods of participation, they set up a website promoting it with all the information, called Hatzom.
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Mar 13, 2016
Fasting for 3 days, ala Mordechai and Esther
In Megillat Esther we learn about how Queen Esther called upon her people to fast for three days in anticipation of he approaching King Ahashverosh and attempting to thwart Haman's plans. The people did their part in accepting the fast, and Esther did her part, and the rest, as they say, is history.
A number of rabbis have come up with a similar plan for us in light of the deteriorated security situation. Rabbis Arik Naveh, Yohai Yemini, And Yuval Cohen (described as mekubalim) have called upon the people of Israel to accept a fast of three days (straight, including nights). The purpose is to arouse heavenly mercy, and also to give people and communities time and opportunity for introspection.
Rabbis Shmuel Eliyahu and Bentzion Mutzafi have signed on to the plea but added that those who cannot fast for three days should instead accept upon themselves a taanis dibbur or to daven..
The three day fast would begin on March 21, 2016 and continue for three days, with the third day coinciding with taanis esther.
They explain that we are facing threats just like Mordechai and Esther did, so we need to act like them and fast for three days.
source: Mynet
The article says so far 20,000 people have signed on to the initiative. I wonder how many people will be able, or even just attempt, to fast for three days. Most people seem to start complaining about hunger and headaches in the middle of even short one-day fasts.
Another note I might point out is that Esther and Mordechai did not just [call on the community to] fast, but they also acted, and the fasting was meant to help their plan of action be successful. Would fasting on its own have done the job? Perhaps, perhaps not. But if we are emulating Mordechai and Esther, the plan for fasting should also include a plan for action.
Would you join such a fast? I might. I have some family simchas during those days, so i am not sure how I would work that out, but theoretically I would try to join such an initiative. Hopefully it will not be too hot during those days and people fasting will not have to suffer through a heat wave with no water.
A number of rabbis have come up with a similar plan for us in light of the deteriorated security situation. Rabbis Arik Naveh, Yohai Yemini, And Yuval Cohen (described as mekubalim) have called upon the people of Israel to accept a fast of three days (straight, including nights). The purpose is to arouse heavenly mercy, and also to give people and communities time and opportunity for introspection.
Rabbis Shmuel Eliyahu and Bentzion Mutzafi have signed on to the plea but added that those who cannot fast for three days should instead accept upon themselves a taanis dibbur or to daven..
The three day fast would begin on March 21, 2016 and continue for three days, with the third day coinciding with taanis esther.
They explain that we are facing threats just like Mordechai and Esther did, so we need to act like them and fast for three days.
source: Mynet
The article says so far 20,000 people have signed on to the initiative. I wonder how many people will be able, or even just attempt, to fast for three days. Most people seem to start complaining about hunger and headaches in the middle of even short one-day fasts.
Another note I might point out is that Esther and Mordechai did not just [call on the community to] fast, but they also acted, and the fasting was meant to help their plan of action be successful. Would fasting on its own have done the job? Perhaps, perhaps not. But if we are emulating Mordechai and Esther, the plan for fasting should also include a plan for action.
Would you join such a fast? I might. I have some family simchas during those days, so i am not sure how I would work that out, but theoretically I would try to join such an initiative. Hopefully it will not be too hot during those days and people fasting will not have to suffer through a heat wave with no water.
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Apr 21, 2015
Interesting Psak: fasting for passing the torah
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinotch, the rav of the Kotel, said yesterday that in light of what happened in the morning, with the Women of the Wall taking the Torah and treating it like a random object, anybody who was present at the Kotel at the time should fast as if it had fallen to the floor.
I am curious as to the source of this necessity to fast. If you know, please comment.
I am also not sure why what they did was considered treating it like a random object. People pass the Torah to others fairly regular in our regular services. The person removes the Torah from the aron kodesh and passes it to the chazzan. On simchas torah people holding the Torah during the dancing pass it to the next person assigned to holding it.
Why is one person passing the Torah to the women yesterday any different than the normal passing of the Torah from person to person?
These questions do not take any stand on whether or not the Women of the Wall should be reading from the Torah at the Kotel or not. I just don't understand Rav Rabinovitch's ruling.
I am curious as to the source of this necessity to fast. If you know, please comment.
I am also not sure why what they did was considered treating it like a random object. People pass the Torah to others fairly regular in our regular services. The person removes the Torah from the aron kodesh and passes it to the chazzan. On simchas torah people holding the Torah during the dancing pass it to the next person assigned to holding it.
Why is one person passing the Torah to the women yesterday any different than the normal passing of the Torah from person to person?
These questions do not take any stand on whether or not the Women of the Wall should be reading from the Torah at the Kotel or not. I just don't understand Rav Rabinovitch's ruling.
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Sep 30, 2014
Caffeine suppositories for Yom Kippur
This really is not anything new, but NRG thinks it is, or maybe it is becoming more popular..
for those addicted to caffeine, via the daily mug of coffee, or maybe the 3 daily mugs of coffee, Yom Kippur is a day some people dread due to the withdrawal headaches... The basic advice often heard is to cut down on caffeine a few days before Yom Kippur.. The other advice is mainly to suck it up and deal with the headache.
Another, less popular, solution is caffeine suppositories.
NRG says that the suppository is not certified by the Ministry of Health and is sold in stealth. Some pharmacies are more open about it, while others are secretive and don't want to get caught selling this stuff. It even says this is more common in the American-Israeli crowd. There are two types of suppositories - 1 that has just caffeine and a second that has caffeine and codeine and acamol all bundled within to give a more powerful punch.
NRG says some rabbonim allow it, some say it should only be used by someone with great difficulty fasting...
this reminds me of the joke.. a few days before Yom Kippur Reuven goes into the pharmacy and asks for 200 caffeine suppositories. The pharmacist asks what Reuven could possibly need so many suppositories for. Reuven answers that in a few days it will be Yom Kippur and he is sponsoring the kiddush in shul...
and here is a funny video about caffeine suppositories..
for those addicted to caffeine, via the daily mug of coffee, or maybe the 3 daily mugs of coffee, Yom Kippur is a day some people dread due to the withdrawal headaches... The basic advice often heard is to cut down on caffeine a few days before Yom Kippur.. The other advice is mainly to suck it up and deal with the headache.
Another, less popular, solution is caffeine suppositories.
NRG says that the suppository is not certified by the Ministry of Health and is sold in stealth. Some pharmacies are more open about it, while others are secretive and don't want to get caught selling this stuff. It even says this is more common in the American-Israeli crowd. There are two types of suppositories - 1 that has just caffeine and a second that has caffeine and codeine and acamol all bundled within to give a more powerful punch.
NRG says some rabbonim allow it, some say it should only be used by someone with great difficulty fasting...
this reminds me of the joke.. a few days before Yom Kippur Reuven goes into the pharmacy and asks for 200 caffeine suppositories. The pharmacist asks what Reuven could possibly need so many suppositories for. Reuven answers that in a few days it will be Yom Kippur and he is sponsoring the kiddush in shul...
and here is a funny video about caffeine suppositories..
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Jun 10, 2012
Interesting Psak: Getting Married On The 20th of Sivan
Today, the 20th of Sivan, is a day that is prone to very bad things happening. So much so that the date, the 20th of Sivan, has been declared more than once as a fast day.
The first time the 20th of Sivan was declared a fast day, that time by Rabbeinu Tam, was for a blood libel in which 37 men and 17 women were burned at the stake, in Blois, France in 1171.
The 20th of Sivan was again declared a fast day, first by the Shach and later by the Vaad Arba Aratzos, and then was again confirmed by the Shela HaKadosh, Tosafos Yom Tov, Magen Avraham and others, after the Cossaks destroyed the Jewish community of Nemirov on that day, killing about 6000 Jews during the Chelminiski massacres (gzeirot Tach v'Tat).
Some say that an event we read about in this past week's parsha, B'haaloscha, also occurred on the 20th of Sivan - the incident in which a group of Jews complained about wanting meat in the desert and were killed in a plague and buried in Kivros HaTaava.
The Torah Tidbits listed an additional tragedy that happened, in more recent years, on the 20th of Sivan - the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in 1982. The Battle of Sultan Yacoub, of course, is the battle in the Lebanon War in which 3 Israeli soldiers (Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman) fell as longtime MIAs, as well as 30 soldiers who died in battle.
While over the years the fast days faded from our observation, it is still a day that is historically marked by tragedy.
Interestingly, someone went to Rav Nissim Karelitz, as he was meant to be marrying off his son today, and asked Rav Karelitz if perhaps today should be observed as a day of mourning and not have the wedding as scheduled?
Rav Nissim Karelitz responded that we no longer observe the fast and commemorate the day. However, because "you already came and asked about it", it would be worthy and appropriate to not have the chuppa on the 20th, but to delay it until after sunset and then have the chuppa on the 21st of Sivan. (source: bechadrei)
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The first time the 20th of Sivan was declared a fast day, that time by Rabbeinu Tam, was for a blood libel in which 37 men and 17 women were burned at the stake, in Blois, France in 1171.
The 20th of Sivan was again declared a fast day, first by the Shach and later by the Vaad Arba Aratzos, and then was again confirmed by the Shela HaKadosh, Tosafos Yom Tov, Magen Avraham and others, after the Cossaks destroyed the Jewish community of Nemirov on that day, killing about 6000 Jews during the Chelminiski massacres (gzeirot Tach v'Tat).
Some say that an event we read about in this past week's parsha, B'haaloscha, also occurred on the 20th of Sivan - the incident in which a group of Jews complained about wanting meat in the desert and were killed in a plague and buried in Kivros HaTaava.
The Torah Tidbits listed an additional tragedy that happened, in more recent years, on the 20th of Sivan - the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in 1982. The Battle of Sultan Yacoub, of course, is the battle in the Lebanon War in which 3 Israeli soldiers (Zachary Baumel, Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman) fell as longtime MIAs, as well as 30 soldiers who died in battle.
While over the years the fast days faded from our observation, it is still a day that is historically marked by tragedy.
Interestingly, someone went to Rav Nissim Karelitz, as he was meant to be marrying off his son today, and asked Rav Karelitz if perhaps today should be observed as a day of mourning and not have the wedding as scheduled?
Rav Nissim Karelitz responded that we no longer observe the fast and commemorate the day. However, because "you already came and asked about it", it would be worthy and appropriate to not have the chuppa on the 20th, but to delay it until after sunset and then have the chuppa on the 21st of Sivan. (source: bechadrei)
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Feb 15, 2012
Fast For Rav Elyashiv
Due to Rav Elyashiv's failed health and deteriorating situation, Rav Chaim Kanievsky has requested, according to statements published in the 3 daily Haredi newspapers, that people accept upon themselves to fast tomorrow, Thursday - the last day of the special "Shovavim period", for the health of Rav Elyashiv.
Rav Kanievsky said that the best is for people to accept a full-day fast, but those who cannot should at least fast for half a day. As well, only someone who's regular learning schedule will not be affected should fast. One who will not be able to maintain his regular learning, should not fast.
And to remind you, A TehillimRing was started for יוסף שלום בן חיה מושא
To help complete this TehillimRing, click here
A TehillimRing is used for urgent situtations to get all of Tehillim recited quickly for a choleh.
Click here to find out more about a TehillimRing.
And to remind you, A TehillimRing was started for יוסף שלום בן חיה מושא
To help complete this TehillimRing, click here
A TehillimRing is used for urgent situtations to get all of Tehillim recited quickly for a choleh.
Click here to find out more about a TehillimRing.
Nov 28, 2010
Those not fasting tomorrow
A Guest Post By Yehoshua Shapiro
I was wondering if Rav Yona Metzger was Rav YS Eliashiv choice to be the Chief Rabbi of Israel then why is it when the Rabbanut declares a fast most Charedim do not pay heed to it.
We are in a dire situatation that there is no rain and obviously we all most repent. Part of repentence is not eating and that allows you to think of what one can do to be better.
Let all the Bnai torah of all camps together and daven that Hashem should bring us rain.
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That was the guest post. I ask Yehoshua, how do you know most haredim are not going to be fasting, and that anybody who will not be fasting is not doing so for halachically justifiable reasons?
I was wondering if Rav Yona Metzger was Rav YS Eliashiv choice to be the Chief Rabbi of Israel then why is it when the Rabbanut declares a fast most Charedim do not pay heed to it.
We are in a dire situatation that there is no rain and obviously we all most repent. Part of repentence is not eating and that allows you to think of what one can do to be better.
Let all the Bnai torah of all camps together and daven that Hashem should bring us rain.
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That was the guest post. I ask Yehoshua, how do you know most haredim are not going to be fasting, and that anybody who will not be fasting is not doing so for halachically justifiable reasons?
Sep 21, 2009
Tzom Gedaliah - why?
Tzom Gedaliah is just one of those fasts that never really make sense to me. Like, what's the big deal that we have to fast?
Nebuchadnezzar banished most of the Jews from the Land of Israel. Gedaliah ben Achikam was appointed the governor of the remaining Jews. A Jew named Yishmael ben Natanya, who was a descendant of the royal family, took a group of Jews to kill Gedaliah. Gedaliah refused to accept the warnings, and fell victim to the sword of Yishmael. As a result of the ensuing upheaval, Nebuchadnezzar tossed the remaining Jews out of Israel.
A tragic story, no doubt. But why do we have to fast for it? We always hear that because a Jew killed another Jew. But look through Tana"ch and Jews killing Jews was more the standard than the exception. Maybe because as a result the rest of the Jews were exiled from the Land? there weren't that many left anyway, and it was basically a formality and a continuation of the expulsion, not anything so noteworthy in its own right.
So what's the big deal that we have to fast on this day?
I know some in recent years have tried to compare the murder of Yitzchak Rabin to that of Gedaliah ben Achikam and have tried to establish a fast day on the yahrtzeit of Rabin. The reason this never worked is because the people behind it don't fast on any Jewish fast day memorializing any of the other Jewish tragedies we memorialize by fasting, and only wanted to fast for Rabin. It was a plan doomed for failure.
Also, some want to suggest that blaming our fasting on the murder of Gedaliah is really just an excuse - they really just wanted to fast after two days of eating food at holiday levels, so as to lose a couple of the pounds packed in during the holiday...
But the question still remains, why do we fast for Gedaliah?
Nebuchadnezzar banished most of the Jews from the Land of Israel. Gedaliah ben Achikam was appointed the governor of the remaining Jews. A Jew named Yishmael ben Natanya, who was a descendant of the royal family, took a group of Jews to kill Gedaliah. Gedaliah refused to accept the warnings, and fell victim to the sword of Yishmael. As a result of the ensuing upheaval, Nebuchadnezzar tossed the remaining Jews out of Israel.
A tragic story, no doubt. But why do we have to fast for it? We always hear that because a Jew killed another Jew. But look through Tana"ch and Jews killing Jews was more the standard than the exception. Maybe because as a result the rest of the Jews were exiled from the Land? there weren't that many left anyway, and it was basically a formality and a continuation of the expulsion, not anything so noteworthy in its own right.
So what's the big deal that we have to fast on this day?
I know some in recent years have tried to compare the murder of Yitzchak Rabin to that of Gedaliah ben Achikam and have tried to establish a fast day on the yahrtzeit of Rabin. The reason this never worked is because the people behind it don't fast on any Jewish fast day memorializing any of the other Jewish tragedies we memorialize by fasting, and only wanted to fast for Rabin. It was a plan doomed for failure.
Also, some want to suggest that blaming our fasting on the murder of Gedaliah is really just an excuse - they really just wanted to fast after two days of eating food at holiday levels, so as to lose a couple of the pounds packed in during the holiday...
But the question still remains, why do we fast for Gedaliah?
Feb 3, 2009
Fast Day for no rain
Ladaat.net is reporting that the Eida Haredis has called for this Thursday to be a fast day due to the serious lack of rain.
Of course they blame it on the decreasing level of tzniyus, because what else could cause a lack of rain...
I also like how they say the problem with no rain is that it is going to cause a problem for the wheat needed for shmura matza soon...
The following is the sign we will soon see all over Jerusalem...
Of course they blame it on the decreasing level of tzniyus, because what else could cause a lack of rain...
I also like how they say the problem with no rain is that it is going to cause a problem for the wheat needed for shmura matza soon...
The following is the sign we will soon see all over Jerusalem...
Dec 19, 2007
Important Days in Judaism: 10 Teves
Today is the 10th day of the Hebrew month Teves. 10 Teves is a fast day.
The days leading up to 10 Teves, the 8th and 9th, are also fast days, but they are not public fast days. They have been declared as "Fasts of the Righteous" - individuals can accept those days as fast days, but they are not publicly mandated. 10 Teves is a public fast day and has incorporated the concepts of the 8th and 9th days for the majority of people who do not fast on those days.
8 Teves is the day when the Septuagint was completed. While that Wiki page gives a lot of info on the Septuagint, according to our tradition Ptolemy the king of Greece ordered 72 sages of the Jewish people to translate the bible into Greek. He was clearly not looking for a translation of the bible, because if he was he would have let these sages sit together and work on a proper translation. Instead, what he did was put each sage in his own room and made him translate the whole thing. He then would compare the 72 different translations and look for inconsistencies with which to attack Judaism. The bible had never before been translated out of the original biblical Hebrew, and in Jewish tradition, this day was considered comparable to the day of the worshiping of the Golden Calf.
9 Teves is the day of the deaths of Ezra and Nehemia. They were the two who brought the Jews out of the galus of Bavel and returned them to Eretz Yisrael. They began the rebuilding of the Second Temple. Few Jews came back with them to Israel. Most Jews were comfortable in the Diaspora living lives of wealth and comfort. Most of the Jews who joined them on the journey to the Land of Israel were the poor and destitute.
10 Teves is the day of the beginning of the siege around Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylonia besieged Jerusalem on 10 Teves. The siege subsequently lasted 3 years and led to the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash and the exile of the nation.
10 Teves has also been incorporated as the day commemorating the memories of those whose day of death is not known. Because of this, last night the gravesites of Yehoshua Bin Nun and Calev ben Yefunah were opened to the Jewish public. I was not able to go this time (though I have gone in the past), but hundreds of people went. Calev's date of death is not known and that is why the site was opened last night. The site of these graves is located in Kafr Hares, an Arab village in the Shomron.
Fast days are meant for repentance and contemplation.
May we see the rebuilding of the Temple in the near future, preceded by world peace, specifically (but not limited to) in the Middle East, the return of our captured soldiers, and harmony among Jews.
The days leading up to 10 Teves, the 8th and 9th, are also fast days, but they are not public fast days. They have been declared as "Fasts of the Righteous" - individuals can accept those days as fast days, but they are not publicly mandated. 10 Teves is a public fast day and has incorporated the concepts of the 8th and 9th days for the majority of people who do not fast on those days.
8 Teves is the day when the Septuagint was completed. While that Wiki page gives a lot of info on the Septuagint, according to our tradition Ptolemy the king of Greece ordered 72 sages of the Jewish people to translate the bible into Greek. He was clearly not looking for a translation of the bible, because if he was he would have let these sages sit together and work on a proper translation. Instead, what he did was put each sage in his own room and made him translate the whole thing. He then would compare the 72 different translations and look for inconsistencies with which to attack Judaism. The bible had never before been translated out of the original biblical Hebrew, and in Jewish tradition, this day was considered comparable to the day of the worshiping of the Golden Calf.
9 Teves is the day of the deaths of Ezra and Nehemia. They were the two who brought the Jews out of the galus of Bavel and returned them to Eretz Yisrael. They began the rebuilding of the Second Temple. Few Jews came back with them to Israel. Most Jews were comfortable in the Diaspora living lives of wealth and comfort. Most of the Jews who joined them on the journey to the Land of Israel were the poor and destitute.
10 Teves is the day of the beginning of the siege around Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylonia besieged Jerusalem on 10 Teves. The siege subsequently lasted 3 years and led to the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash and the exile of the nation.
10 Teves has also been incorporated as the day commemorating the memories of those whose day of death is not known. Because of this, last night the gravesites of Yehoshua Bin Nun and Calev ben Yefunah were opened to the Jewish public. I was not able to go this time (though I have gone in the past), but hundreds of people went. Calev's date of death is not known and that is why the site was opened last night. The site of these graves is located in Kafr Hares, an Arab village in the Shomron.
Fast days are meant for repentance and contemplation.
May we see the rebuilding of the Temple in the near future, preceded by world peace, specifically (but not limited to) in the Middle East, the return of our captured soldiers, and harmony among Jews.
Dec 31, 2006
10 Teves full circle
Today is the Fast Day of 10 Teves, well known as "Asara B'Teves".
Today's fast remembers the beginning of the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem. On the 10th of Teves, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon laid siege to jerusalem. The siege lasted for 3 years, but the siege which began on 10 Teves 3336 (from creation, or 425 BCE) was the beginning of the end.
My shul last night held its annual siyum hashas. This shul, for the past 4 years, divides the Talmud into sections of, give or take, 40 pages and each member selects a section he will learn over the course of the year. As a community we work on finishing shas together.
The guest speaker last night at the melave malka siyum was Rav Yoel Schwartz. Rav Schwartz is a famous Rav in Israel. He is connected to the Bnei Noah movements, he is the Rav of the Nahal Hariedi unit of the army, he has written over 200 seforim and I do him no justice by any of this introduction, just trying to give you an idea of his stature.
Rav Schwartz mentioned some amazing information. It was very timely that Saddam was hanged yesterday, right before the fast of 10 Teves. 10 Teves was the date Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began the destruction of Jerusalem. Saddam, famously, declared himself as Nebuchadnezzar II many times and erected a statue of himself and of Nebuchadnezzar in his palace. He saw in himself the continuation of Nebuchadnezzar. Fitting that the circle of Nebuchadnezzar was closed. On 10 Teves Nebuchadnezzar I laid siege to jerusalem, on 9 Teves, Nebuchadnezzar II was killed by hanging after many attempts to beign destruction on Jewish Israel.
Today's fast remembers the beginning of the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem. On the 10th of Teves, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon laid siege to jerusalem. The siege lasted for 3 years, but the siege which began on 10 Teves 3336 (from creation, or 425 BCE) was the beginning of the end.
My shul last night held its annual siyum hashas. This shul, for the past 4 years, divides the Talmud into sections of, give or take, 40 pages and each member selects a section he will learn over the course of the year. As a community we work on finishing shas together.
The guest speaker last night at the melave malka siyum was Rav Yoel Schwartz. Rav Schwartz is a famous Rav in Israel. He is connected to the Bnei Noah movements, he is the Rav of the Nahal Hariedi unit of the army, he has written over 200 seforim and I do him no justice by any of this introduction, just trying to give you an idea of his stature.
Rav Schwartz mentioned some amazing information. It was very timely that Saddam was hanged yesterday, right before the fast of 10 Teves. 10 Teves was the date Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began the destruction of Jerusalem. Saddam, famously, declared himself as Nebuchadnezzar II many times and erected a statue of himself and of Nebuchadnezzar in his palace. He saw in himself the continuation of Nebuchadnezzar. Fitting that the circle of Nebuchadnezzar was closed. On 10 Teves Nebuchadnezzar I laid siege to jerusalem, on 9 Teves, Nebuchadnezzar II was killed by hanging after many attempts to beign destruction on Jewish Israel.
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