Ta'anit

A Jewish fast may have one or more purposes, including:

• Atonement for sins: Fasting is not considered the primary means of acquiring atonement; rather, sincere regret for and rectification of wrongdoing is key.[1] Nevertheless, fasting is conducive to atonement, for it tends to precipitate contrition.[2] Therefore, the Bible requires fasting on Yom Kippur.[3] Because, according to the Hebrew Bible, hardship and calamitous circumstances can occur as a result of sin,[4] fasting is often undertaken by the community or by individuals to achieve atonement and avert catastrophe.[5] Most of the Talmud's Tractate Ta'anit ("Fast[s]") is dedicated to the protocol involved in declaring and observing fast days.
• Commemorative mourning: Most communal fast days that are set permanently in the Jewish calendar serve this purpose. These fasts include: Tisha B'Av, the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the Tenth of Tevet, and the Fast of Gedalia. The purpose of a fast of mourning is the demonstration that those fasting are impacted by and distraught over earlier loss. This serves to heighten appreciation of that which was lost.
• Supplication, such as the Fast of Esther
• Commemorative gratitude: Since food and drink are corporeal needs, abstinence from them serves to provide a unique opportunity for focus on the spiritual. Indeed, the Midrash explains that fasting can potentially elevate one to the exalted level of the ministering angels.[6] This dedication is considered appropriate gratitude to God for providing salvation. Additionally, by refraining from such basic physical indulgence, one can more greatly appreciate the dependence of humanity on God, leading to appreciation of God's beneficence in sustaining His creations.

During the four Minor Fasts a number of changes are made to the liturgy.

• The Torah portion for Fast Days (Exodus 32:11-14, 34:1-10), commonly called VaYechal after the first word of the portion, is read during the Shacharit and Mincha services. After the Torah Reading at the Mincha service, Ashkenazi communities read the Haftorah for Fast Days (Isaiah 55:6-56:8), which is commonly called Dirshu after its first word.
• During the Shacharit service, Selichot are recited.
• Avinu Malkeinu is recited during the Shacharit and Mincha services except at occasions when Tachanun is omitted.
• Aneinu is recited during the Mincha service in Ashkenazi communities. It is also inserted by the Chazzan during the Shacharit service. In Sephardic communities it is also recited during the Shacharit service. [22]

The study of the Torah is obviously beneficial for the soul and subsequently for the body; prayer includes benefits both for the aspect of spiritual salvation and freedom, as well as for physical health, for material wealth and thus for everything considered good for the human being and for the rest of creation: so, the need to act because otherwise "apathy" and controversial detachment from the world would prevail, very present in religions but often blamed in the world around; and this is the point: for example, how much and when is it right to fast? Is it always correct to abstain, sometimes up to the limits of strength and common possibilities? And how useful is it to arbitrarily give up something that could instead help or make us better and at least happier?

So we should not compare ourselves with those great Tzadikim, who have a higher and different spirit. This is especially true because, before praying, they only drank because they were very sick and therefore were forced to do so. Furthermore, we must not allow it as most of the Tzaddikim do not. Our holy Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman, said that he never even drank water before morning prayer: although according to the law of Shulchan Aruch it is allowed to drink water, he did not even drink water before praying Shacharit[23]

Although the fasts are prescribed in the Jewish religious tradition and it is indicated in Halakhah to abstain from food and drink before finishing the Shacharit, today many are adding other individual volunteers; in spite of this the tendency remains that of not exceeding in this sense. There are therefore, as evident in monotheistic religions, two aspects: the spiritual one of the soul and the physical one of the body. In the Jewish religion the two are sealed with the Kedushah so as to live the bond continuously in every moment and in every aspect of life; one cannot strictly exceed either one way or the other, obviously respecting the Jewish religious pragmatism of action, a characteristic of Judaism that is well known even among non-Jews, and faith even in the most decisive moments in the world of work, as we know with Torah Im Derech Eretz.[24]

• Yom Kippur

• Peninei Halakha by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed