Fasting for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women when 9 Av Postponed to Sunday: Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon

I've written several posts about Jewish law regarding fasting for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Yesterday, in the alon "Shabbat beShabbato," Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon of the Machon LeHalachah UleHoraah and head of the Beit Midrash (study hall) at Machon Lev, discussed a special case that occurs … [Read more...]

Rabbi Elgazi on Breastfeeding, Fasting and Yom Kippur

In last week's Matzav Haruach, Rabbi Ben-Zion Elgazi's column is devoted to fasting on Yom Kippur. I liked his approach to breastfeeding so I am translating it here. You can find the original Hebrew text in this article I contributed to the blog of the Israeli Association of Certified Lactation … [Read more...]

Explaining Death to Children (Plus Notes on 9 Av)

In honor of the nine days of mourning leading up to the commemoration of the destruction of the Temple on 9 Av, which we observe this Sunday, I share this email from a reader. A very close friend of ours died about a month ago and last week our rabbi's adult son died.there has been talk of funerals … [Read more...]

Erev Yom Kippur Links: Why Fast?

  The Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail reported on the two girls sent back to Israel to avoid being married off. The article refers to Bruria Keren as "the woman leader of the sect in Israel" and amusingly notes that Beit Shemesh is near where the battle of David and Goliath took … [Read more...]

Fasting on Yom Kippur During Pregnancy

Yom Kippur begins this Friday evening, September 17, and continues until Saturday evening. According to the Shulchan Aruch, the Code of Jewish Law, pregnant and nursing women are required to fast both on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement ) and Tisha B'Av (9 Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of … [Read more...]

Girls’ Team to Forfeit Tournament Game Held on Fast Day

Despite having only seven players, the Northwest Yeshiva High School girls' basketball team is in the Washington state tournament for the first time. But one of the games is scheduled for the fast of Esther tomorrow. If the yeshiva team ends up playing, they've decided to forfeit. The school … [Read more...]

Fasting on Tisha B’Av for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

The 9th of the Jewish month of Av, known as Tisha B'Av, commemorates the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. On this most mournful day of the year, Jews are required to fast from sunset until nightfall the following day. (On a side note, most rabbinic opinions exempt pregnant and nursing … [Read more...]

A Radical Ruling: Breastfeeding and Fasting on Yom Kippur

Also see: Resources on Fasting During Pregnancy Our rabbi made an amazing statement this past Shabbat: Pregnant women and nursing mothers whose babies are solely dependent on their mothers' milk (including babies who take a small amount of solids, generally until 8 or 9 months) must not fast on … [Read more...]