Fast Days: Difference between revisions

# 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>

# 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.<br />

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 nursing woman is exempt from fasting on the fasts except for [[Tisha BeAv]]. Some say this includes a women who has finished nursing as long as she is within 2 years of the birth, and some say this only includes somebody who is actually nursing the baby. <ref> In Yechave Daat 1:35, Rav Ovadia Yosef concludes that if the woman feels sick she may eat, but if she feels like she can fast, she should try to fast. Or litzion 3:25:7 disagrees and says in that case she would only be exempt within thirty days of giving birth. This is also the ruling of Eishel Avraham Butchatch 550:1 </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>  

# One who is sick, even if there is no danger of dying is exempt from fasting and shouldn't fast. <ref> Mishna Brurah 550:4, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 531, Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:35, Aruch Hashulchan 550:6, Teshuvot Vihanhagot 4:123. </ref>

# Old, sick people who suffer a lot from fasting are exempt from these fasts, including [[Tisha BeAv]]. <ref> Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 532 </ref>

# If one is sick and does not fast he need not make up his fast on a different day. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:35 and Biur Halacha 550</ref>

# One need not train his children to fast, even at the age of 12 for boys or eleven for girls. <ref> Mishna Brurah 550:5 and Beiur Halacha "hakol" Yalkut Yosef Dinei [[Chinuch]] Katan page 239 and Moadim page 530, Eliya Rabbah 550:7, Chanoch Lanaar 21:footnote 9, Halichot Shlomo Moadim 2:page 398:3. Mishna Brurah 550:5 based on Magen Avraham 550:2 and Chayei Adam 133:6 say that when children do not fast they should only eat the amount of food they need but Halichot Shlomo Moadim 2:page 398:footnote 10 says that this is not the custom. </ref> Although many boys have the custom to fast three fasts before they become bar-mitzvah, but this custom has no source. <ref> Halichot Shlomo Moadim 2:page 399:footnote 11. </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, Mishna Brura 559:35. 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>