Re: Yom Kippur

[Guest guest]

> > Closing down for the 25 hr fast ( no food, water, wearing of

> leather

> > shoes, or bathing) of Yom Kippur, the most serious and

> contemplative

> > day in our calendar. We spend most of the day in synagogue.

> > >>>>>>>>

>

> No water or food that sounds rather harsh. I assume that this does

> not apply to nursing mothers but what about OAP's.

Every male over 13 and female over 12 are obliged to fast on Yom

Kippur, it's our strictest fast of the 6 in our calendar, and *very*

few are exempt. Mothers within 7 days of birth are exempt, and people

who are considered so ill that they are in danger. Otherwise

everyone, including OAP's should fast. NB None of the other fasts

include nursing mothers.

I have bf and fasted,(Tavya aged 4 months, Yeshaya aged 5 months) and

it works. Ok so I feel a bit like a squeezed lemon by about 5 pm. but

generally speaking I have almost enough milk to last it out, and I top

up with previously ebm.

As soon as we start drinking and eating again, the milk comes back

with a vengeance. I am convinced it actually increases.

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

Just to clarify again, Caro:

There are six fasts in our calendar, four minor ones (ie which begin

at dawn and end at dark of the same day) and two major ones; Tisha

B'av and Yom Kippur (both which begin at sunset the previous day and

end at dark the following day, ie 25 hrs duration). I don't fast for

any of the minor ones at all. Some of my friends do. I fast for

Tisha B'Av and of course Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur outstrips Tisha B'Av

in strictness by miles. On Tisha B'Av you are exempt if you are

a nursing mother at *any* stage. Possibly even pregnant woman if

they are feeling bad, although personally I fasted my best when

pregnant.

Yom Kippur is the ONLY fast of the six which is actually mentioned in

the Old Testament itself, so we see it as being a God-given rather

than man-given fast IYSWIM. Therefore it is MUCH stricter all round,

and you really do have to be in life threatening danger not to fast.

What consitutes life threatening danger is a moot point, usually

decided by Rabbis who have consulted with the patient's doctor. My

aunt in Switzerland for example, just had a thrombosis in her eye. She

had to drink on Yom Kippur as it was considered life threateningly

dangerous not to. Mothers within 7 days of birth are considered still

in life danger so MUST not fast even if they want to. From 7 to 30

days after birth they should fast unless they are seriously ill. This

applies whether the mother is nursing or bottle feeding.

People get very hung up about our fasts and think them terribly cruel.

In fact, so long as you eat and drink *sensibly* before the fast,

nothing too spicy or thirst inducing, and drink a lot of water rather

than sugary drinks, one suffers usually no more than a headache.

Caffeine addicts find it useful to wean themselves off the habit

before a fast; the withdrawal symptoms are the worst bit! My sister

in law felt nauseous, but that was it. I don't usually even feel

hungry or thirsty by the end of it, just a bit weak and headachy.

After a fast we eat and drink sensibly too. Gorging just leads to

vomiting and stomach aches. I always make a very good homemade

vegetable soup with barley and chunks of vegetables, which we eat with

toast, butter, and spreads. We seldom want much more than this. Lots

of drinks, hot and cold, and that's it.

Ruthie

> I'm pretty sure it doesn't apply to nursing mothers, as they are

> sustaining a young'un (and they don't fast til 13 and 12) also

people

> who are at all likely to be ill as a result...the idea is just to

> focus off bodily concerns, onto spiritual things and the business of

> remembering and acknowledging sins, they are supposed to have made

> peace with everyone they fell out with in the previous year; have

> spent the previous month at least thinking about their spiritual

life.

> Ruthie may wish to correct me when she returns..

>

> I am wondering whether the Moslem and Buddhist faiths have similar

> mechanisms of asking forgiveness for acts done? (Is that what is

> behind Ramadan?)

>

> Caro

[Guest guest]

> I would be interested to hear about music in worship in the Jewish

faith; my

> only contact has been at the wedding and reception and oh heck what

are all

> those extra feasts called in the following week? where graces were

sung at

> each meal, and the thing that made me smile was that most of the

graces

> seemed to be sung to sea shanties!

The week of celebratary dinners following a wedding is called Sheva

Broches, and yes, so long as it isn't on a Sabbath or festival, music

is played at these feasts.

Azariah had his own wedding band for a while, he is extremely

musical. His band played at Tavya's wedding.

Ruthie