I love this directive from Rabbi Milder about Who Shouldn’t Fast. Stop worrying and be healthy!
Who Shouldn’t Fast (and Who Should)
Fasting is a central feature of Yom Kippur observance. But there are some people who should not fast:
- Pregnant women
- Anyone with diabetes
- Anyone taking medications that require food or liquids
- Anyone who doesn’t feel well
These are not restrictions on Jewish observance—they are Jewish observance. The principle is very simple. In the hierarchy of Jewish obligations, one’s health has greater priority than the mitzvah of fasting on Yom Kippur.
For the rest of us, fasting is intrinsic to the experience of teshuvah. The Torah teaches that, on Yom Kippur, we should practice “self-denial” (Lev. 23:32). The rabbis define a set of practices that make “self-denial” concrete, not merely something in our heads. The first of these is fasting, which means not eating or drinking from the start of Yom Kippur until its conclusion, typically a little more than 24 hours.
Fasting has both a spiritual and an ethical meaning. We often hide from our true selves by what we consume, not just in food, but in all kinds of ways that we fill up our lives. These can be acts of avoidance, preventing us from undertaking cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul. Where have we erred, gone astray from who and what we are capable of being? In what ways have our actions and words hurt others, intentionally or not? These are the hard questions of Yom Kippur. Fasting is an act that compels us not to seek an escape from this difficult task.
Fasting is also a way that we remind ourselves of our moral obligations. What does it mean to be hungry? And, by extension, what are the sufferings of others from which we should not turn away? It is truly a small act, to remind ourselves of our greater responsibilities.
If one is healthy enough to fast, but finds it too difficult to do, this is not an all-or-nothing act. Eat or drink what little you need to, then continue your fast.
One of the traditional greetings for the outset of Yom Kippur is tzom kal, “(May you have an) easy fast.” It kind of moderates the task. Fasting is uncomfortable, but it is simply not the Jewish way to wish others discomfort.
May you have an easy fast, or, if fasting is not appropriate for you, may your heart lead you to the same destination, and your actions lead you authentic teshuvah, true repentance.
Rabbi Larry Milder