The rabbis enjoined that a fast is a response to spiritual needs and implied that, in a broader sense, it was a form of "persecution of the soul." The supreme fast of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) thus consists of all forms of prohibition, coupled with a day of pr ayer and penitence and self-denial.

The Purpose of the Fast

The outcome of these strictures and supplications is supposed to be inner reflection and repentance, a process of drawing closer to commitment to God. Indeed, from earliest times, the prophet stressed that a fast was not an end in itself but a means through which a person is humbled and repents. Ultimately, repentance should manifest itself in righteous deeds (Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:8).

The humanistic aspects of the fast were not lost on the spiritual leaders of Israel:

Categories of fasts

While repentance served as the major biblical motive behind fasting, two other significant functions are associated with this behavior. The first is the notion of "special request" or plea, whether public or private. The other is fasting as a sign of mourning for sad occurrences in one's private life or in the annals of the Jewish people.

Fixed Fasts The fixed fasts commemorating the destruction of the Temple are: 10th Tevet - marking the beginning of the siege of Jeruslem during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar; This year, 5758 , the fast falls on Thursday January 8 (1998). 17th Tammuz - commemorating the breach of the walls of Jerusalem, and other events; 9th Av - recalling the destruction of the First and Second Temples (and other catastrophes that befell the Jewish people on this day); and 3rd Tishrei - marking the murder of Gedaliah, the governor of the Jews appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, This event marked the final destruction of the first commonwealth. Needless to say, these functions are often combined. The prophet Yoel (Joel), for example, called a fast after a locust plague, in which he declared: "Sanctify ... a fast, call a solemn assembly, and cry unto the Lord... rend your garments and turn towards the Lord your God" (Yoel 1:14; 2:15).

Over the years

Fasting was practiced in the First Temple period by both individuals and groups. Sometimes they were spontaneous; sometimes organized. Various misfortunes instigated fasts, from the death of a national leader to the cessation of rain.Through fasting, one attempted to invoke divine intervention, to avoid a calamity, or to express remorse over misdeeds.

It should be noted that, on another level, fasting served as a preparation for communing with the higher realms or receiving divine counsel. Fasting was later associated with asceticism, although this custom was often frowned upon.

As the liturgy developed, special prayers, supplications and Biblical readings were added to the prayers of the fixed fast days in order to enhance the overall purpose of the fast.

Fasts Today

The fasts, as we know them today, include those decreed in the Bible, fasts fixed by the sages, and self-imposed private fasts.The classic fast prescribed in the Bible is the Day of Atonement, the purpose of which is repentance. It serves as the climax to the Days of Awe, occurring in the Hebrew month of Tishrei, that begin with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.

The Fast of Esther is typical of a fast associated with calamity. Occurring on the eve of the minor festival of Purim, it commemorates Queen Esther's fast prior to her plea for her people before King Achashverosh, as recalled in the Book of Esther.

This fast is maintained unto this day and is typical of fasts fixed by the Men of the Great Assembly. Another example is the Fast of the First Born that occurs before the Pesach holiday. It is obligatory for first-born Jewish males and recalls their deliverance from the final plague that befell the Egyptians at the time of the Exodus.Additionally, there are the four fasts that are associated with the destruction of the Temple and other major adversities that befell the Jewish people.

Private fasts include that of a bride and groom on the day of their marriage, a fast following a bad dream, or on the day of the death of a close relative ("yahrzeit"), as well as those within a three-day cycle of 'BEHAB' (fasting on Monday-Thursday-Monday) undertaken by particularly righteous persons after the festive seasons of Pesach and Sukkot.

All fasts, other than Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av (commemorating the destruction of the Temple), are observed from day break to nightfall. Usually, if a fast falls on a festive days or on Shabbat, it is postponed by one day.