Fast Days: Difference between revisions

===Who Fasts===

# Everybody is obligated to fasts on these public fast days. <ref> Rambam Hilchot Taanit 1:4, S"A 550:1, Chayei Adam 133:6, Yabia Omer 1:33, Mishna Berura 550:1, Aruch Hashulchan 459:5, Kitzur S"A 121:11.  </ref>

# Even rabbis or teachers whose fasting may cause their learning to be of lower quality should fast on these fast days including Taanit Esther. <ref> Yabia Omer 2:28:7 </ref>

# A pregnant woman need not fast on these fasts except for [[Tisha BeAv]]. <ref> Rama 550:1, S"A 554:5, Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham 550:1, Aruch Hashulchan 550:3, Yechave Daat 1:35. The gemara in Pesachim 54b says that pregnant women and nursing women are required to fast on Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, implying that they are not required to fast on the other fast days. Hagahot Maimoniot Taaniot 5:1 says that this is because the other fasts are optional in nature. Yechave Daat 1:35 says that this begins from the end of the first trimester whether she feels the pain or not, unless she is having pains earlier in which case her exemption would start earlier. Mishna Berura 550:3 and Aruch Hashulchan 550:3 say that it starts 40 days into pregnancy unless she has an unusual amount of pain. </ref> According to Ashkenazim, this is only true if the pregnant woman is having pain or they are weak, however, according to Sephardim, this is true even if the woman isn't in pain.<ref>Rama 550:1 writes that pregnant or nursing woman are exempt from the three fast days (except Tisha BeAv) only if they are in a lot of pain. Then he adds even if they're not in a lot of pain they're not obligated to fast but rather that is the minhag unless they are in pain. Mishna Brurah 550:5 writes that if the woman is weak she doesn't have to be strict to fast. S"A 554:5, however, seems to say that pregnant and nursing women are exempt whether or not they are in pain. Yalkut Yosef 550:9-10 rules that in general pregnant and nursing women are exempt from fasting on the three minor fasts besides for Tisha BeAv.</ref>Nonetheless, if the woman isn't fasting she shouldn't eat to enjoyment but rather only what is necessary. <Ref>S"A 554:5, Mishna Brurah 550:5</ref>

# Any fast which one didn’t complete until [[Tzet HaKochavim]] is considered as though one didn't fast. <Ref> S”A 562:1, Mordechai Taanis 631, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 529. The Gemara in Taanit 12a says that the sun didn't set on is not considered a fast. Rabbeinu Yona quoted by the Rosh Shabbat 2:23 says from this gemara that the fast concludes at sunset. However, the Rosh himself in Taanit 1:12 says that the gemara is referring to the completion of the setting of the sun, namely tzet kavochavim. This is the source of the S"A 562:1. Aruch Hashulchan 562:9 and the Gra 562:2 say that since there are some rishonim who follow Rabbeinu Yona anyone who is lenient and relies on them should not be rebuked for it. see Aruch Hashulchan there who thinks this is also the opinion of the Rambam. </ref>

# Even if Asara b'tevet falls out on a Friday one should fast until tzet hakovachim even though the fast would carry into shabbat. <ref> Shulchan Arukh 249:4. Rama there quotes an opinion that if you pray early and finish [[Mariv/Arvit|Arvit]] before [[Tzet HaKochavim]] you should eat, but then says that nevertheless on a public fast one should fast until [[Tzet HaKochavim]] and on a private fast, eat after davening. </ref>

'''Travel'''

# Some poskim says that one who travels during a fast, should finish the fast according to his arrival destination, whether this makes it longer or shorter. <ref> Iggerot Moshe 3:96, [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2183 Rabbi Eli Mansour in the names of Rav Moshe and Chacham Ovadia Yosef], Vilechitcha Baderech page 59:1. This applies even if on [[Tisha BeAv]] his fast will last less than 24 hours. However, Sh"t Yaskil Avdi 8:38 says that although the public fast ends according to the time of his place of arrival, an individual has a personal obligation to fast twenty hours on [[Tisha BeAv]] and that he should continue fasting into the tenth of Av to complete his 24 hours. </ref>

# A Baal Nefesh should be strict not to wash oneself in hot water or anoint oneself, however it’s permitted to wash with cold water or wash one’s hands, feet, and face with hot water. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 550:6, Shaar HaTzion 550:8, Kaf Hachayim 550:13. Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 530 permits washing one's body with hot water, but adds that one who is strict is praiseworthy. Aruch Hashulchan 550:3 also says that technically it is permitted to use hot water, but the custom has developed not to except on erev shabbat, but it is still permissible to use hot water.  </ref>  

## If Asara BeTevet falls out on Friday, one shouldn’t be strict and rather should wash oneself because of Kavod [[Shabbat]]. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 550:6 </ref>

===Brushing one’s teeth===

# According to Sephardim, for all fasts besides Tisha BeAv and Yom Kippur, in a case of need one may rinse one’s mouth with less than a [[Revi'it]] of water as long as one is careful to spit it out completely. According to Ashkenazim, only if one is in pain may one rinse one’s mouth and in such a case one should bend one’s head downward so one doesn’t swallow any water. On Tisha BeAv one may rinse one’s mouth only if one is in great pain, and on Yom Kippur one must be strict. <Ref>

# Some poskim say that one should avoid eating too much before a fast, as this may make him feel the fasting less. <Ref> Eliya Rabbah 563:1, Kaf Hachayim 549:11 </ref>

'''Medicine'''

# Some poskim permit taking caffeine suppositories during the fast, to avoid caffeine related headaches. <ref> Maharsham (1:123, page 178), Chelkat Yaakov 2:83, Contemporary Halachic Problems (v. 2, p. 26). </ref>  

'''If one made a Bracha by accident'''