Think & Reflect:
Jewish fasting is one of the most interesting of Jewish rituals – Yom Kippur, the most known and observed, is supposed to make us reflect on our deeds, repent and look to being a better person. However, when you are tired, hungry, and thirsty, we often focus on those needs instead of the deeds! Yet, the ritual persists and hopefully works.
There are stories (such as in Jonah when the people fast and repent), but there are only 6 designated fast days on the Jewish calendar: 1)The fast of Gedalia; 2) the fast of Yom Kippur; 3) the fast of the 10th of Tevet; 4) the fast of Esther; 5) the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, and 6) the fast of the 9th of Av. Except for the fast on Yom Kippur, these all have historical moments that they commemorate. The fast of Tammuz (July 16th) is the anniversary of 5 terrible things that happened to the Jewish people throughout the ages. From the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av, we are in a period of mourning which hopefully leads to learning and reflecting.
This year, the 17th of Tammuz is on Shabbat and therefore the fast of Tammuz is pushed to Sunday. The only fast day allowed to continue Shabbat is Yom Kippur
Questions to Ponder
Jews have always been known for finding humor everywhere to manage their pain. The question of why only 5 historical fast days when so many bad things have happened to the Jews through the ages is answered with the joke – if we fasted on every day that something bad happened to the Jews, we would never eat! Learn about these fast days and think about other days you might suggest remembering with a fast.
Do & Share
Many people today use fasting as part of a dieting program and often we must fast before a medical procedure. Share with others how you think fasting “works” for reflecting, remembering, and whether fasting to lose weight or for other reasons feels different? Do you think you are less hungry for different fasting reasons? Is fasting related to suffering? Other religions also fast on different days and for different reasons. If fasting doesn’t “work”, what would be a good alternative?
A Challenge for a Week (or longer)
There are many holidays in the Jewish year, yet studies have shown that many Jews do not celebrate or perhaps are even aware of these holidays. There are a variety of Jewish calendar apps (some with full explanations of the day). You can also add the Hebrew date to your phone, so you always know where you are in the year or you can go old school and get a beautiful wall calendar to have the dates handy.
Laura Seymour | Camp Director Emeritus | Jewish Experiential Learning Director
Lseymour@jccdallas.org
