Saturday, September 30, 2017
The Fast
The 25 hours of fasting (from Friday at 18 p.m. till Saturday 19 p.m.) are over.
As I advance in age, the anual fast of Yom Kippur (the jewish day of atonement), becomes a bit easier for me. I suppose it's a matter of experience - making the right food choices for the day prior to fasting that will ease the Fast, or, as some will say 'make the fast go faster.'
Especially important is the 'aruha mafseket' (the meal preceding the Fast). No big secret here: a light meal based on whole grain and lean protein with nothing too salty or spicy, to avoid hunger and thirst. I find it essential to seal the meal with a glass or two of water.
Somehow, I've come to look forward to this day. I'm pleased to take a break from the major factor that dominates our life and determines our health, - food - and spend some hours on spiritual thoughts and prayers.. This day should be about introspection, repentance, asking forgiveness.
And then, at the end of the day , the 'break-the-fast' meal. It starts slowly with a sweetened drink and a slice of cake followed again by a light meal.
Here's to the Next Year!
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Take good care of yourself, Duta. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I will. Fasting is no light matter. I certainly won't recommend it to those who wish to lose weight. Blessings to you too!
DeleteIt's nice to have traditions that you follow. It would be difficult not to eat for that long, but the continuity of this, from year to year, is good. We all need continuity in our lives.
ReplyDelete'Continuity'. I like the word and the concept, and yes we all need tradition and continuity in our lives.
DeleteWow! 25 hours! I admire you for it! Fasting is always good for the soul and body
ReplyDeleteRight. Fasting helps clean the body and strenghten the soul. The last 3 hours are the most difficult but 'all's well that ends well'.
DeleteHappy New Year to you, if I understand it correctly?!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ola.
DeleteWe call this period of time (Sept 20 to Oct 12) the High Holidays. Rosh Hashana (the jewish New Year Sept 20-22) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement Sept 29-30) being the most important ones.
Good yom-tov, DUTA.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing traditions with us.
Love from the USA.
I'm proud to share this tradition of fasting on Yom Kippur. To me it is an important day and an important custom.
DeleteBlessings at this time of year. I learned much from this. We're pretty isolated, here in our wee spot. I used to have many diverse friends. Perth is pretty boring, and lacks diversity!!!! I grew up in TOronto, in a big, yummy, diverse city. I taught in multicultural schools, and I miss that.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't miss teaching as it is exhausting, but I would certainly miss the interesting contact with multi-cultural aspects of society.
DeleteHope your fast went smoothly Duta. I also really love and look forward to this time, and the special day of Yom Kippur. It`s nice to read your guidelines about before and after the fast. I may post something about that too, I made Kreplach before the fast! And a tradition we have from my childhood (I`m from New York) is to break the fast with bagels and cream cheese and lox!! So have been doing that the past few years here in Japan for ours!! Is that done in Israel too?!Blessings and Shalom!
ReplyDeleteThank God, it went smoothly, Shayndel.
DeleteYou should definitely write a post about pre-fast and break-fast meals. I'm sure that will be much interesting.
Bagel, cheese cream, lox - are indeed considered the perfect break-fast, but today there's much diversity and open-mindedness regarding the composition and nature of this meal.
I am glad your fast went smoothly.Thanks for encouraging me to write the posts! Writing one now, will link thanks to you in the notes!
DeleteYou're more than welcome.
DeleteVery interesting. I never knew this. I know that as Catholic we fast on Fridays during Lent and my mother always made sure that we observed all the guidelines. She still does even though the church has allowed the elderly to do away with fasting due to their health and well being. The only thing she would never do is eat fish on Friday as she detests any type of seafood. When we were children she would make the ultimate sacrifice to make fish sticks for us. We loved them at the time. It is good to have faith and rituals.
ReplyDeleteYour mother looks great, and apparently she's a great mother and lady.
DeleteI think Faith and rituals help us survive in this mad world.
Yes, I find this very interesting as well. I've done an occasional fast for religious as well as health reasons. But I'd be interested in hearing more about this.
ReplyDeleteAll major religions have a day or more of Fast during the year. Many people have experienced fasting in their lifetime. Other than for spiritual reasons, I wouldn't recommend fasting; it's not easy and it might, especially the not drinking, endanger one's health.
DeleteI have never fasted for that long, and I admire your persistence and devotion. Following cultural and religious tradition seems to have a soothing, beneficial effect on all of us.
ReplyDeleteAs a young teenager I used to fast half a day only. In my late teens I started a full day fast. Hope to be able to do that also in the years to come. As you say, fasting has a beneficial effect on us.
DeleteGreat that you are able to fast for such a long time I have never had to fast. We did have days without meat or fasting time that we couldn't eat candy but that's about it. Water will indeed help to fill you up.
ReplyDeleteThis Fast is not just about not eating; it is linked to a very significant day in our faith - the atonement day. So this link gives us the necessary ability over the years to do it.
DeleteIt's a long time since I've fasted (but when I did it wasn't for religious reasons). Today is not the day for me to start...as I've already eaten...and I've just raided my fridge for a piece of chocolate!!
ReplyDeleteTake care. :)
Fasting is not easy neither when done for religious/spiritual reasons not for other reasons. That's why I feel good when it's over and I've once again proved to myself that I'm still able to go through all this.
ReplyDeleteYes, what a wonderful feeling to dig in oneself and find strength through sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have put it more beutifully! Thanks Tanya.
DeleteDuta, I think it's wonderful that you take this day of fasting. I like how you end the day with a sweetened drink and slice of cake followed by a light meal. And I thinks it's special to spend some hours on spiritual thoughts and prayer.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
*thank you for the birthday wishes for Jess. : )
According to my family tradition, the day of fasting has to end with a slow, sweet, and light meal. Slow and light in order to make it easy on the stomach to adjust; sweet because fasting leaves a rather bitter, dry taste in the mouth.
DeleteI think everyone could do with a fast each year. If not for the discipline factor for the health factor :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with that. Fasting is good both for self-discipline and for health reasons.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and I'm glad the fast went well for you!
ReplyDeleteThe last 3 hours (approaching the final line....)are the difficult ones, but thank God, it all went well.
Delete