Fast Days: Difference between revisions

# [[Shiva Asar BeTamuz]] commemorates 5 things: 1) The Luchot were broken. 2) The Korban Tamid in the 1st Bet Hamikdash was abolished.  3) In the 2nd Bet Hamikdash destruction, the city of Jerusalem was breached. 4) The Torah was burned by Apostomus. 5) An idol was put in the Bet Hamikdash. <ref> Mishna Taanit 26b, Rambam Taaniyot 5:2, Shibbolei Haleket 263, Chayei Adam 133:4, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:4, Aruch Hashulchan 549:3, Chazon Ovadia (Laws of the Four Fasts, Halacha 1), Mishna Brurah 549:2, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 527. </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, Shulchan Aruch 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 Brurah 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. Shulchan Aruch 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>Shulchan Aruch 554:5, Mishna Brurah 550:5</ref> A pregnant or nursing woman who does not need to fast, does not need to make up the fast on a different day. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:35 </ref>  

# A groom within the seven days of his wedding, the father of a baby boy, a sandak, a mohel must fast on these four fasts unless the fast was postponed because it originally fell out on [[shabbat]], in which case they are all exempt from all these fasts and should eat after mid-day. <ref> Yabia Omer 1:34:11, 5:40. Rav Ovadia Yosef writes in Yabia Omer 27:10 that this is true even of tzom gedalia, even though some rishonim say the tragedy occurred on [[Rosh Hashana]] it is not considered a postponed fast unless it actually fell out on [[Shabbat]]. </ref>

# Anybody who doesn't fast because they are exempt does not need a [[hatarat nedarim]], but if it isn't too hard to do one, then praiseworthy is somebody who does. <ref> Yabia Omer 2:30: 5-8 </ref>

===Brushing one’s Teeth===

* Sh”t Minchat Yitzchak 4:109:2 rules that someone who has bad breath on [[Tisha BeAv]] may brush his teeth without water in order to pray with a clean mouth. </ref>

# If one ate by mistake on a fast day he should nevertheless continue fasting afterwards. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 568:1. Mishna Brurah 568:1 says this also applies if you ate on purpose. Mishna Brurah 568:3 says that you can even say aneinu during the shemoneh esrei during public fast days. Yabia Omer YD 1:14:8 says you can only recite aneinu if you have eaten less than a [[kezayit]]. </ref>