The fast originated at the request of Queen Esther who prepared to risk her life by going before the King to reveal herself as a Jewess and plead survival for her people, bravely stating: "and if I perish, I perish." A time when we did something correctly that propelled us forward to reach new spiritual heights. What will ours be? ein maavirin) cites a well-known Mekhilta (12:17) which states: And you shall watch over the matzot" R. Yoshiya says: Read it not, "And you shall watch over the matzot," but, "And you shall watch over the mitzvot." Baer Heitiv 568:22, Kaf Hachayim 549:11, Mishna Brurah 558:50. The Abudraham (Hilkhot Betziat Hapat 317) rules that he should remove his tefillin, then put on the tefillin shel yad followed by the tefillin shel rosh. In the fourth chapter of Megilat Ester, Mordechai finds out about For the other fasts please see the following links: Tisha BeAv, Tanit Ester, and Tanit Bechorim. The Shla Taanit 43b says the only reason not everybody accepted this is because it is something that is too hard for all of the congregation to hold, but on a personal level each person should make an effort to refrain from this. 22, Shaar Hatziyun 550:8, Mishna Brurah 550:6, 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. 7) As on other public fasts, the Torah reading of Vayechal Moshe (Exodus 32:11-14, 34:1-10) is read both at Shacharit and Mincha. He explains that the tefillin should be put on after the tallit due to the principle: One elevates in sanctity and does not descend (maalin be-kodesh ve-ein moridin). The Levush (ibid.) The Shulchan Arukh (OC 25:6) rules that despite what we learned above regarding one who touches his tefillin before his tallit, one who touches the tefillin shel rosh before the tefillin shel yad should set aside the tefillin shel rosh and put on his tefillin in the order described above. It is actually this one-day pre-battle fast that we commemorate every year before Purim. Yerushalayim. 32. Magen Avraham 562:5 writes that minimally the fast has to go from the morning until after Plag Mincha even if one didn't actually daven arvit yet, however, the Eliya Rabba 559:26 and Machasit Hashekel 562:5 hold that it is sufficient if he fasts until mincha gedola. Mishna Brura 550:6, Baer Heitev 550:2, Rav Tzvi Rimon (Sulamot Sh"t Asar Btevet Shchal BShabbat), Mishna Brura 603:3, Aruch Hashulchan 550:2. see Aruch Hashulchan there about a custom that existed to omit torah reading. 4915 Hayvenhurst Avenue Encino, California 91436 818.784.9986. Daat Torah (of the Maharsham) 568:1, Sht Mishneh Halachot 7:80, Sht Shevet Sofer OC 25, Shulchan Aruch 568:1, Chazon Ovadia Arba Taaniyot pg. Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. If Ta'anit Esther falls Fast of Esther - Aish.com Tur 549:2 explains that on the ninth of Tamuz the wall of Yerushalyim was broken by the first Bet HaMikdash, however, nowadays we fast on the seventeenth of Tamuz which was when the wall of Yerushalyim was broken by the second Bet HaMikdash. See the explanation of this on the. His exemption is not an OVERRIDE, but rather an INTERNAL EXCEPTION. Not only do we stop eating and drinking, but we also hold ourselves back from acting before thinking. 6) During the afternoon Mincha prayers, the paragraph of Aneinu is added to the silent Amidah, during the blessing of Shema Koleinu. King, perhaps because we haven't heard Him calling us. Rav Beryl Gershenfeld reveals that the word taanit comes from the word ani, meaning poor. On a taanit we recognize that we are lacking (like a poor person). Mishna Brurah 562:10 quotes the Eliya Rabba for someone who is weak. Rav Beryl Gershenfeld reveals that the word " taanit " comes from the word " ani ," meaning "poor." On a taanit we recognize that we are lacking (like a poor person). As Rashi summarizes (Berakhot 11a), Since an avel is dejected and rolling in his personal [emotional] dust, he cannot achieve [the state] of peer. Similar sentiments are voiced by Tosafot in Moed Katan (21a). This is also the ruling of Eishel Avraham Butchatch 550:1. Because a fast helps to lower the volume on our physical pursuits in order to focus more acutely on our spiritual selves. Instead, it is a time to reframe our outlook on life and push ourselves to grow more than we thought possible. Rabbi Soloveitchik (Shiurei HaRav, pp. There is also an organization called JACADA founded here in Washington that is very active in the areas of domestic violence and Agunot. Ta'anit Esther - the Open Siddur Project According to Ashkenazim it is possible to accept upon oneself to fast a partial fast and break it before the night. Halakha demands the launch of classic aveilut in this case, but the issue of this avel wearing tefillin is debated (see the Beit Yosef, Yoreh Deah 320). and our generation, may not be the ones to see it if we don't act. 43. Ta'anit Esther for Hebrew Year 5784 occurs at dawn on Thursday, 21 March 2024. Jewish Holidays: A Guide & Commentary, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The Torah prescribes that whenever a Jewish army goes to war, the soldiers should spend the previous day fasting. The Beur Halakha (25) notes that one who is in shul, in front of other people, may be embarrassed to put his tefillin on before his tallit. An avel is ALWAYS obligated to study Torah, but to protect his aveilut from intrusions of Torah-based simcha, he is excused from Torah study. Since Tisha Be-Av constitutes collective mourning and is also based on remote events, perhaps Tisha Be-av does not instigate the experience of dreadful sorrow which threatens the tefillin. The Gemara asks: Granted, the ruling that when one dons phylacteries, he first dons the phylacteries of the arm and afterward dons the phylacteries of the head, is understood, as it is first written: And you shall bind them for a sign upon your arm, and then it is written: And they shall be for frontlets between your eyes (, Next week we will continue our discussion of the, Publications: Philosophy and Current Affairs, Revava - The Riva Koschitzky z"l Torah Enrichment Program, Hanachat Ha-tefillin Donning the Tefillin. Shulchan Aruch 564:1, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 529, gemara taanit 12a. Taanit Esther Readings the Open Siddur Project It is actually this one-day pre-battle fast that we commemorate every year before Purim. Should an avel wear tefillin when the aveilut begins after the chag? Our existence Rather, we observe the fast on Thursday, the 11th of Adar. This week, we will begin our discussion of the. This is understood by most rishonim (Rashi s.v. The fast In addition to mere mechanical donning, tefillin demands a corresponding inner state of expanded religious consciousness. This principle is found in the Talmud (Yoma 33a). Asara B'Tevet commemorates the tragedy of Nevuchadnezzar laying siege to Yerushalayim. Several gemarot (Berakhot 11, Ketuvot 6 and Sukka 25) cite a statement of Rav identifying the one mitzva that an avel (mourner) is excused from the mitzva of tefillin. Publications: Philosophy and Current Affairs, Revava - The Riva Koschitzky z"l Torah Enrichment Program, The Prohibition for an Avel to Wear Tefillin. The addition of aneinu is recited by the sephardim during. Halichot Shlomo Moadim 2:page 399:footnote 11. The Message of Purim | Ohr Torah Stone Tzom Kal and Purim Sameach. Rav Moshe Feinstein quoted in Moadei Yeshurun 1:page 108, Halachos of the Three Weeks by Rabbi Eider p. 19. As tefillin are referred to as pe'er, this inner feeling is central to the mitzva performance. Instead, the avel is excused from tefillin because he cannot ACHIEVE the requisite experience of peer central to tefillin performance. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. The Finder Family Educational Center. Click here to contribute a prayer you have written for Ta'anit Esther. However, if he first touches the bag which hold the tefillin, he can still put on the tallit before the tefillin. 567:1, Mishna Brurah 567:6, Kaf Hachaim 567:10. Mishna Brurah 550:4, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 531, Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:35, Aruch Hashulchan 550:6, Teshuvot Vihanhagot 4:123. Chazon Ovadia Arba Taaniyot pg. 37 where he writes that one who leaves it open doesn't violate lifnei iver, but it is still best to post a clear sign that today is a fast day and nobody should be eating. It sheds a new light on how this fast day helps us prepare for the holiday of Purim. ", If the shaliach tzibur forgot to say Aneinu in the. Behind the Scenes of Netflixs Jewish Matchmaking. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Even if Asara B'Tevet falls out on a Friday one should fast until. 67. This was the day selected by Haman to commit genocide against the Jewish people. Does this principle apply to an avel and tefillin? ha, Rambam (Taniyot 1:13, Raavad ad loc., Rosh Tanit 1:12) that it doesn't even count as a fast of hours if one eats before the night. The fast is not even held on Friday, since this would adversely affect Shabbat preparations. It is this heroic act that we should focus on during the Fast of Esther and use it as springboard to catapult us to even higher levels of holiness and refinement. According to Ashkenazim, on the fasts other than Tisha B'av the Haftara of Isaiah 55:6-56:8 is read during. He notes, however, that some still insist on donning the tefillin first, as they have a greater level of sanctity. The Mishna mentions two characteristics which may determine precedence: It is further taught: When one dons phylacteries, he first dons the phylacteries of the arm and afterward dons the phylacteries of the head. The Gemara asks: Granted, the ruling that when one dons phylacteries, he first dons the phylacteries of the arm and afterward dons the phylacteries of the head, is understood, as it is first written: And you shall bind them for a sign upon your arm, and then it is written: And they shall be for frontlets between your eyes (Devarim 6:8). For these four fasts, the beracha of aneinu is recited during chazarat hashatz as a beracha on its own as long as there are six or more fasting. 566:6, Mishna Brurah 566:19, Aruch Hashulchan 566:11, Rivevot Ephraim 3:338:2. Refua Shelema to Rabbi Daniel ben Miriam Chaya Rut Beller. However, in honor of the Purim heroine, it is called Taanit Esther -- the Fast of Esther. One shouldn't skip Aneinu in Shemona Esrei to say it after Shemona Esrei so that one can answer kedusha. Chazon Ovadia (Laws of the Four Fasts, Halacha 3), Shulchan Aruch 549:1, Rambam Taaniyot 5:2. Rav Chaim Palagi in Ruach Chaim 566:4 is strict. One need not train his children to fast, even at the age of 12 for boys or eleven for girls. The Midrash recounts that the Jews actually fasted as a nation on that day, in supplication to Hashem for Heavenly assistance. deliverance will come anyway, from another source, but she and her family will See the Avnei Nezer OC 429 for a fascinating explanation as to why that conclusion is correct. Ashkenazim have a custom is certain verses are read aloud by the congregation. Jewish Calendar - Home Assistant But we've been afraid to approach the Furthermore, the mitzva of tzitzit is tadir, i.e., it is performed more frequently as the tallit is worn on both Shabbat and Yom Tov. Looking for something else? Meorot (Sources) TaNaKh (Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim) Targumim (Translations) . If a person does fast an individual fast he may not publicize it to others in order to receive honor. 29, Yalkut Yosef Moadim 535, Sht Yechave Daat 5:39, Sht Yabia Omer 1:33, Chazon Ovadia Arba Taaniyot pg. Somebody suffering from a headache may swallow a pill that doesn't have a pleasant taste. Thus even women fast on Taanis Esther. Musaf l'Shabbat. Mishna Brurah 557:3, Rama 565:3. He is also a highly-acclaimed speaker and mentor for RJX/MEOR Rutgers, a contributing writer for Chabad.org, financial coach, proud husband, and father of three. That was his maasehhis mem to the tzav during the tzom. Only SIMCHA is forbidden for an avel, not feeling grand or magnificent. This was the day selected by Haman to commit genocide against the Jewish people. Is it possible to eat and drink after nightfall right before going to hear the Megillah? He explains that due to the principle of ein maavirin al ha-mitzvot (one may not bypass one mitzva in order to perform another mitzva), if one were to touch his tefillin first, he would have to don the tefillin first. Though other aspects -- like wearing shoes and washing -- are permitted. "Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day". Rambam (Taniyot 5:2), Chazon Ovadia (Laws of the Four Fasts, Halacha 3, Mishna Brurah 549:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:2, Rambam (Taniyot 5:2), Mishna Brurah 549:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:3, Chazon Ovadia (Laws of the Four Fasts, Halacha 4), Magen Avraham 550:4, Aruch Hashulchan 550:2, Mishna Brura 550:10, Shulchan Aruch and Rama O.C. Like other minor fasts, Taanit Esther begins at dawn (first light) and ends at nightfall (full dark). In Gemara, The Gemara Rosh Hashana 18b states based on the pasuk in Zecharya that if there's no Beit HaMikdash and persecution then these are fast days, if there's a Beit HaMikdash then they're holidays, however, if there's no Beit HaMikdash and no persecution these are dependent on the will of the people. Ta'anit Esther for Hebrew Year 5784 occurs at dawn on Thursday, 21 March 2024 . It is permissible to wash with hot water or anoint oneself. In the 1835 edition, it . Then deposit your grogger in the collection box in the lobby after Megilla. A similar question arises in a third scenario, in which a person passes on Yom Tov and the entire aveilut is delayed until after Yom Tov. If the date of the Fast of Esther falls on Shabbat (Saturday), the fast is instead observed on the preceding Thursday. Nitei Gavriel (Ben Hametzarim v. 1 p. 54 3:4 fnt. begins Monday morning, before sunrise, and ends at night after the reading of A public reading offered by Rabbi Arthur Waskow for the Fast of Esther in response to recent events in the State of Israel by the right-wing government of Bibi Netanyahu admitting Jewish fascists into their administration. Matei Ephraim 602:22, Shaare Ephraim 1:10, Minchas Elazar 3:3, Teshuvot Vihanhagot 2:265, Minhag Yisroel Torah 550:page 31, Nitei Gavriel (Bein Hametzarim) 1:page 64:footnote 22. [1] The significance and background of these fasts are explained below. The Halichot Shlomo Moadim 2:13:footnote 10 says if one ate a small amount of food he may still receive an aliya on a fast day. Alternatively, if an avel is exempt from tefillin in order to protect tefillin from his sorrowful impact, perhaps the Tisha Be-Av experience does not present that danger. In the context of the story it is probably describing how they rallied together to do battle against their enemies. I had never heard of Taanit Esther prior to reading your post. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed PR photo. Taz 566:7 explains that he can't take the aliya since that kriyat hatorah isn't relevant to him. He is Founder and Director of Aish.com's advanced learning site. The Fast of Esther (Taanit Ester, Hebrew: ) is a Jewish fast from dawn until dusk on Purim eve, commemorating the three-day fast observed by the Jewish people in the story of Purim. Esther called for a fast, knowing that through soul-searching the Jews would forge a spiritual connection necessary to make her mission successful. 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. In other words, is the prohibition to wear tefillin limited to the early part of the day based upon the rule of miktzat ha-yom ke-kulo? On a weekday other than a Monday and Thursday, somebody who is not fasting may not receive an aliya to the torah. Similarly, the phrase Bar Mitzvah, which contains the word tzav, is the time in which a young man is ready to reach new spiritual heights by taking on mitzvot. Magen Avraham 567:6 writes that this is only according to the Rama who says not to taste food on any fast day, however, according to SA who allows tasting on fast days besides for, Chaye Adam 132:20 writes that if one is in great pain one may rinse ones mouth even on Tish BeAv if one is careful to bend ones head downward so that one doesnt come to swallow anything but one may not do so on. Many question the sweeping generalization that an avel is obligated in every mitzva, since he is forbidden from studying Torah. 1) rules that this principle only applies if one touches the tefillin first. The Gemara Brachot 6b indicates that fasting is certainly a mitvzah, yet giving charity is a crucial element of the fast day. Or litzion 3:25:7 disagrees and says in that case she would only be exempt within thirty days of giving birth. Rashi on Vayikra (6:2) tells us that the word tzav comes from a language of urgency. The Arukh Ha-shulchan (25:3) concurs. Where can I find more information on Taanit Esther? However, Yalkut Yosef and Tzitz Eliezer 7:49:12 are lenient but still say its preferable not to. purim - Music on Tannis Esther - Mi Yodeya Yalkut Yosef page 549 says that even if you were called up by name, you should explain to them that you are not fasting, and even adds that this applies where you are currently fasting but do not plan on finishing the fast. The 13th day of Adar has the great potential for Since Tisha B'Av is more severe, one shouldn't brush one's teeth on Tisha B'Av unless not brushing will cause oneself major pain. Shaarit l'Shabbat ul'Yom Tov. Please try again or choose an option below. For an individual fast day, a person needs to fast until. In fact, the grandeur of tefillin is spiritual in nature and should not constitute a clash with aveilut. Click a date on the calendar displays the schedule for that day. Commemoration of the Destruction of the Temple, Rav Hershel Schachter (Piskei Corona #42), Rabbi Eli Mansour in the names of Rav Moshe and Chacham Ovadia Yosef, https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Fast_Days&oldid=31148. Just as matzot are not permitted to become chametz (i.e., to sour), so a mitzva should not be permitted to become chametz; rather, if the opportunity of a mitzva presents itself to you, perform it immediately. This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent. The Fast of Esther (Ta'anit Ester, Hebrew: ) is a Jewish fast from dawn until dusk on Purim eve, commemorating the three-day fast observed by the Jewish people in the story of Purim. Kumah strongly urges everyone to fast this year on Taanit Ester. As Mark Twain wrote, "All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. We stop eating and drinking and restrain ourselves from acting as we did the prior day because this day is far more than business as usual. We try to break out of our mundane mindsets and excitedly rise above to get higher and closer to Hashem. There is a dispute whether nowadays these fasts are considered a binding communal practice or derived from the words of prophets.[3]. The meaning of TAANITH ESTHER is fast of esther. Avinu Malkenu. Tosafot (Moed Katan 21a) claim that tefillin may be worn on Tisha Be-Av, whereas the Rosh in Taanit cites the Maharam Mi-Rotenburg, who forbade this. Miraculously, the Jews gained the right to defend themselves against their enemies. The primary purpose of the Fast days is to inspire a person to do Teshuva and remember his sins and the sins of our fathers which caused the tragedy which is being commemorated to occur. Nevertheless, on the Fast of Esther, we too can be like our ancestors and usher in a period of radical changeboth in ourselves and the world. Levush 550:1, Magen Avraham 550:1, and Mishna Brurah 550:1 hold that primarily the minor fasts today are obligatory as communal practices when there isn't persecution. Answer: Although Taanis Esther is the most lenient of the public fast days, it remains a fast day, and everybody has to fast in principle. Typically, the Chakhamim can suspend a mitzva de-oraita. On the day (the 13th day of Adar) that the enemies of The simple approach suggests that tefillin, unlike other mitzvot, interrupts the mitzva of aveilut and is therefore forbidden. The first three are discussed in this article. asher sibru oy'vei hayihudim l'shlot bahem, venahafoch hu hayihudim heima Mishna Brurah 566:12, Chazon Ovadia Arba Taaniyot pg. He adds that for Taanit Esther it is preferable to get 10 people fasting but if not, . This video explores these questions to uncover a deeper meaning of Taanit Esther. He lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel. u'tzedaka" - repentance, prayer, and tzedaka. The Fast of Esther (Ta'anit Ester, Hebrew: ) is a Jewish fast from dawn until dusk on Purim eve, commemorating the three-day fast observed by the Jewish people in the story of Purim. In all cases, a competent rabbi should be consulted. He adds that if it is extremely urgent, one may be lenient on, SA 567:1 writes that on any fast day one may taste food up to a, SA 567:2 quotes a dispute whether one is allowed to taste up to a. Shulchan Aruch 550:2 writes that on all fast days other than Tisha B'av and Yom Kippur, one is permitted to wash, anoint, wear leather, and have marital relations. May we merit to appreciate the depth and beauty hidden within the Fast of Esther and happily utilize it to the fullest. Rather, she says, Fast on my account or Fast for me so she could be successful when going before king Achashverosh to plead on their behalf for salvation. Similarly, for those fast days that are not allowed to fall out on Shabbat, we push them back a day. . "Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day". Maharsham (1:123, page 178), Chelkat Yaakov 2:83, Contemporary Halachic Problems (v. 2, p. 26). The original statement of Rav claimed that an avel is chayav in every mitzva except for tefillin. Rama 566:1. Therefore, when understood in this light, we see that Esther is not telling the Jewish People to focus on atoning for their sins when they fast during this time. Tefillin in Mincha. Mishna Brurah 550:6 and Kaf Hachayim 550:10 quote this as well but notes that one should continue to wear leather shoes so as not to publicize it too much. Fast of Esther - Wikipedia Rav Chisda in Tanit 12a says that it is only a fast if a person completes it upon the night. Bet Yosef 575:2 points out that the Rambam Tefillah 13:18 implies that there is no haftorah for a fast day besides for Tisha B'av or a fast for a drought and that the minhag of Sephardim was not to say a haftorah. The Gemara Brachot 17a records that Rav Sheshet would pray before Hashem that today when there's no Bet Hamikdash He should accept our fasts as though they were korbanot since by fasting a person loses a slight amount of his flesh and blood in order to attain atonement. The Aish Rabbi Replies Fasting for the purpose of teshuva or receiving atonement is an important mitzvah. Piskei Teshuvot 567:1 and Sht Minchat Yitzchak 4:109 hold that brushing teeth has the same status as rinsing one's teeth. On the day of a Taanis one should refrain from unnecessarily touching foods, lest one inadvertently eat during the fast. The Status of the Retzuot of Tefillin | Yeshivat Har Etzion 3) Since this is not a major fast, pregnant or nursing women are exempt from the fast, as are moderately ill people. We commemorate the fast on 13 Adar. On a tzom, we stop doing superficial things, reflect on our ultimate mission in life, and take a proactive step toward greatness by doing something elevated and godly. In essence, the Fast of Esther should be a day of inspiration, an opportunity to take on something great for the rest of the whole year, and a time to push ourselves just a bit more to accomplish something spiritually spectacular. More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary The Ari zl (Shaar Ha-kavanot Derush 2) argues, based upon mystical reasons (sod), that the tallit should always be worn before the tefillin. The Jewish Calendar ( jewish_calendar) integration displays a variety of information related to the Jewish Calendar as a variety of sensors. The individual who is called up for that aliyah should not read the verses aloud with the congregation but instead should wait until the reader says them aloud and read along with him. An avel responding to a report of death may be obligated to obey the classic rules of aveilut, but he may not experience the raw pain and dejection of a classic avel who experiences the death and burial firsthand. On Taanis Esther one is permitted to bathe, listen to music, and to wear new clothing. Fast of Esther. One shouldnt go swimming in a pool or ocean on a fast day. Atah ha-El Oseh Fela'ot, a seliah for Taanit Esther by Shimon bar Isaac . Mishna Taanit 26b, Rambam Taaniyot 5:2, Shibbolei Haleket 263, Chayei Adam 133:4, Mishna Brurah 549:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 121:4, Aruch Hashulchan 549:3, Chazon Ovadia (Laws of the Four Fasts, Halacha 1), Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 527, Halachos of the Three Weeks page 1. In such a case he can recite Anenu at mincha. His aveilut responsibilities simply override his mitzva to study Torah. 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, Communal fasts which do not start at night only begin at, If one went to sleep at night and wakes up before. This is unlike the Ramban in Torat HaAdam (Chavel edition, page 244) who says that all of these fast days last from sunset the night before, and all the activities that are forbidden on tisha b'av are forbidden on these as well. adds that tzitzit precede tefillin as they are meant to be worn immediately upon rising and getting dressed. In our case, we have a clash between these two characteristics: while the tallit is worn more frequently (Shabbat, Yom Tov, etc. Old, sick people who suffer a lot from fasting are exempt from these fasts, including. (Except in walled cities, where the Megillah is read on the night of the 15th.). One who is sick, even if there is no danger of dying is exempt from fasting and shouldn't fast.
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