Fasting on Shabbat
Fundamentally, we never fast on Shabbat. Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman as he explores why, and how it is that Yom Kippur is the exception.
Fasting on Shabbat: Fasting on Shabbat
Hello Everyone,
Last week we learned about the difference between Shabbat and Yom Tov. On Shabbat there is a mitzvah of “עונג” while on Yom Tov there is a mitzvah of “שמחה” The difference between עונג and שמחה is that עונג is subjective while שמחה is defined. עונג means ( more or less) pleasure, and pleasure is subjective. For that reason is reason if someone is very sad on Shabbat and crying will help the person, then in such a case a person may cry on Shabbat. Crying is an עונג in such a case. But שמחה means happiness. There is a mitzvah to be happy on יום טוב . That is why there is no mourning/שבעה on Yom Tov and even if חלילה a relative dies on Yom Tov one may not cry.
Today we will talk about fasting on Shabbat. If someone feels that fasting would be an עונג may she or he fast on Shabbat?
We will see how this question is answered by the Poskim.
Fasting on Shabbat: Fasting on Shabbat
Hello Everyone,
Last week we learned about the question of whether it is appropriate to fast on Shabbat. The basic question is when, if ever, does the possible spiritual gain of fasting justify not enjoying Shabbat physically. The consensus is that the mitzvah of enjoying Shabbat, “עונג שבת”, may not be ignored.
But there is an exception to this rule, and that is the case of a person who is disturbed by dream that she or he had Friday night. The Gemarah in two places talks about the efficacy of a fast to negate the decree of a bad dream. This raises the question of how we ought to relate to our dreams.
The subject of dreams is what we will discuss today.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.