Fasts

Self-affliction and fasting heightens awareness of our bodies; at the same time, it helps us to transcend our immanent selves. This tension was embraced by the 6th century poet Yannai in his qerova, who beseaches God to forgive Israel both out of pity for their wretchedness and on account of their resemblance to angels.

Exodus versus Deuteronomy

Fasting in Judaism is perceived as a calendrical event, specifically with Yom Kippur and Tisha be’Av, and several minor fasts, mostly associated with the destruction of the Temple. We rarely, if ever, hear of a community fasting on some other day, and it is almost unheard of to for individuals to observe a personal fast day. A look at the biblical and Second Temple material, however, shows that our current norms are the exact inverse of those in ancient times.

The First Temple was destroyed either on the 10th of Av (Jeremiah 52:12) or the 7th (2 Kings 25:8). The Second Temple, according to Josephus, was destroyed on the 10th. How did Rabbinic Jews come to commemorate the destruction of both Temples on the 9th of Av?

A Brief Introduction

The Israelite-Samaritan interpretation of “you should afflict your souls” (ועניתם את נפשתיכם) and our experience of Yom Kippur.

Jewish tradition places a strong emphasis on the importance of repentance on Yom Kippur. It finds its way into Yom Kippur through a post biblical association between fasting and repentance. But what does fasting signify in the Bible and what did it mean originally in the context of Leviticus 16?

Karaite Jews question Mordechai’s authority to create an obligatory new holiday. Nevertheless, they join their Rabbinic Jewish brethren in celebrating the two days of Purim, in keeping with their understanding of Mordechai’s instructions.

“God has not given you a mind to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear until this very day” (Deut 29:3).

In keeping with the verses, Karaite Jews fast on the 9^th of Tammuz, beginning the five weeks of mourning, which culminates with the dual fasts on the 7^th and 10^th of Av.^[1]