Rabbi Rael Blumenthal

NOTE: Please do not decide Halacha from this summary. This is purely for informative purposes. If you have any questions, ask a Shayla!

General Introduction:

• Fasting on Yom Kippur is a Mitzvah D'Oraysa (ויקרא טז, כט-לא), and not fasting is an Issur D'Oraysa (ויקרא כג, כט).
• If one violates the prohibition of fasting (for eating or drinking) intentionally, this incurs a punishment of Kares. Inadvertent violations warrant a Korban Chatas.
• This punishment is true only if a person eats the Shiur of a ככותבת הגסה – which is a little less than a – k’beitzah (average size egg). This works out to around 1.5fl oz.
• Nevertheless, any amount of food or drink is a Biblical prohibition. Even eating “Shiurim” is an Issur D'Oraysa. (יומא עג, ב – עד)
• In cases of serious health needs, we will use Shiurim in accordance with the principle of הקל הקל קודם – violating a lesser degree prohibition first, so as to avoid violating a more severe prohibition.

Breaking One’s Fast:

In general, the Torah does not require us to endanger our lives in order to keep the mitzvos. (With the well knows exceptions of murder, sexual immorality or idolatry.)

• Therefore: One is obligated to eat on Yom Kippur if fasting poses a risk to one’s life. Or even if it might pose a risk to one’s life (ספק פ״נ).
• However, it is sometimes somewhat unclear if there is an actual danger, or just that we are being overly cautious.
• Regarding violating Shabbos, our standard litmus test is: Would you leave work to go to the ER if this happened on a Tuesday? We apply similar considerations to fasting on Yom Kippur.

Regarding Pregnancies:

1. Shulchan Aruch: Pregnant and Nursing mothers need to fast as usual. (סימן תריז סעיף א: עוברות ומיניקות מתענות ומשלימות ביום הכיפורים.)
2. However, we also violate Shabbos and Yom Kippur in order to save the life of a fetus.

Two important notes:

• Rav Yaakov Yisrael Fisher held that pregnant women today are weaker than before and thus we should be more lenient accross the board. This opinion has not been accepted by the other poskim as a blanket rule.
• Asking a doctor is you should fast will almost always result in a response in the negative. Few doctors are willing to instruct an expecting mother to fast. The better question to ask is: Is there anything about this pregnancy that is outside of ordinary? Are there any elevated risks?

In all regular cases: Women who are healthy and present no exceptional medical concerns, should fast as normal.

However, there are a number of situations which the poskim discuss, that will permit a women to begin Yom Kippur eating Shiurim. If a women has:

• Experienced two unexplained miscarriages.
• Experienced preterm labor (even once.)
• Already begun labor pains (earlier than anticipated.)
• A history of dehydration easily in normal circumstances.
• Already experienced bleeding.
• An early stage pregnancy that was conceived by IVF. (Rav SZ Auerbach noted such pregnancies are more fragile).
• An unusually shaped uterus, cervix etc… that might cause labor as a result of dehydration.

(A word about studies: Many are inconclusive, but there is some evidence that at the end of the 8th month / beginning of the 9th, fasting might induce labor. This is usually not of any concern, since a 37 week baby is usually healthy. Consult with your doctor if there are any elevated risks.)

So, assuming everything is good and normal, you begin fasting.

• Stay home and don't go to shul!
• There is a deep sense of Emunah knowing that forgiveness is Hashem's business on Yom Kippur, and that we are not in charge of our own purification.
• Rav Melamed: If a women is struggling to stay in bed because she is taking care of kids, her husband should stay home to ensure that she can fast.

If you're fasting and begin to get concerned or nervous:

• If you are experiencing early signs of dehydration, you should break your fast. When to be concerned? Headaches / pain that doesn't go away after 20 minutes of lying down. Start with Shiurim, and see how you do.
• Nausea and vomiting are normal in many pregnancies – despite the fact that they're very uncomfortable. Usually it is not a sign of dehydration. But if it occurs three times, there is cause for concern. Start using Shiurim.
• If contractions begin in an unusual way, or are intensifying, break your fast completely.
• If bleeding occurs, break your fast completely.
• If you go into labor, break your fast completely. You need strength for labor and delivery.

Taking Medication:

• Uncoated pills are not food, therefore no issue. Pills with coating / flavor should be avoided.
• Best practice is to take pills without water. (Sometimes, it's necessary to break them into smaller pieces.)

If absolutely necessary, and you need water:

• Fill a 1oz shot glass, and put in a a drop of listerine to make it “pagum” (unenjoyable water).
• Vitamins are usually not absolutely necessary to take at the same time daily. Take them before the fast, and after. (Consult your doctor!)

(Important Note: Depression / eating disorders are often Pikuach Nefesh. Consult with your doctor before considering fasting!)

How to do Shiurim?

On Yom Kippur, the pachos mi’keshiur (less than the maximum prohibition) amounts of food and drink are independent of each other. This means the two shiurim do not combine and one can simultaneously eat and drink a pachos mi’keshiur of both. The waiting times are also calculated independently.

Food: 1.5 fl. oz. (44 ml) Drink: m’lo lugmav – a cheekful. (Usually a little more than a shot glass.) Make sure to measure your “cheekful” before Yom Kippur.

For most people, a total of 6 shots of liquid – 6oz (177ml) – every hour works out to be helpful. (That’s half of a coke can every hour.) NOTE: Don't just drink water! Get some hydration/sugar/calories. Gatorade/orange juice are good options.

How long is the “Shiur”. Most poskim say 9 minutes (in extenuation cases, could be shorter. Ask a Shayla!) My recommendation: Use 10 minutes. That way you have less math to do over the fast.

Best practice: Drink on the 0’s (10:00am, 10:10am, 10:20am…) and eat on the fives (10:05am, 10:15am, 10:25am…)

Nursing:

Do everything possible to ensure that you can fast on Yom Kippur, by arranging a milk substitute for the baby, or pumping milk the days before the fast.

In a case that the child refuses to drink anything else other than through nursing, if shiurim will help, use Shiurim.

• Milk drying up is a rare possibility that can usually be avoided with careful planning.
• Start hydrating three days before.
• Plan to skip alternate feedings.
• If the baby is refusing formula, someone other than the mother can try feeding.
• Try not to be nervous (though that can be hard!)

With Hashem’s help, everyone should merit a year of good health and beautiful families.