Practical Halachos of the Tzomot (Fast Days)

Hi, I was recently appointed to serve as a rav in a community, and on Asarah B’Tevet people were asking me many questions. These questions were not only about eating, but also about taking showers on a taanit, listening to music, etc. Since there are many halachos involved, and I have come to appreciate your website for its reliable and authoritative psak based on the teachings of Harav Amrom Fried shlit”a, I would like to ask if you could please clarify these halachos for me, so I will know it for the future.

Thank you for your question.

Yes, that is our aim, to ensure that people have a clear and practical understanding of the halachos, so they know exactly what the halacha is in each situation.

With regard to the fasts of Asarah B’Tevet, Tzom Gedaliah, and Shivah Asar B’Tammuz:

Brushing Teeth

The halacha regarding brushing teeth is as follows:
 Only a person who is in discomfort (b’tsa’ar) is permitted to rinse his mouth on a taanit. When doing so, he should bend over so that his head and mouth are facing downward, in order to avoid swallowing any liquid.

Therefore, since brushing teeth also involves rinsing the mouth, one may only do so in a case of makom tza’ar or kavod habriyos, for example, if one would otherwise have a bad and disturbing odor coming from his mouth.

Taking Medication

With regard to taking tablets: a choleh she’ein bo sakana is exempt from fasting on Asarah B’Tevet. However, a healthy person, or someone who has minor pain and wishes to take medication, may do so without water, provided that the medication has no taste.

If one is unable to take the medication without water, or if the medication has a sweet taste, he should first make the water bitter by adding salt or a few tea bags without sugar.

Smoking

Smoking an electronic vape on a taanit is forbidden. This has been discussed on our website at length.

Regular cigarettes are permitted for someone for whom it would be very difficult to refrain. However, he should smoke b’tzinah, in a discreet manner.

(Of course, this discussion relates only to the halachos of taanit. Smoking itself is extremely dangerous to one’s health, and one should refrain from smoking in general.)

Listening to Music

Some poskim write that one may not listen to music during a taanit, as brought in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, siman 122, and see also Shulchan Aruch, siman 568, se’if 12. Some are stringent not to listen to music starting from the night before the fast.

Washing on a Taanit

On the night before the fast, me’ikar hadin, one may wash oneself using hot water. A ba’al nefesh is stringent not to wash at all, whether with hot or cold water.

On the day of the fast:
 According to Bnei Sefarad, it is permitted to wash even using hot water.
 According to Bnei Ashkenaz, one should refrain from washing one’s entire body with hot water.

However, if the water is not pleasantly warm, or if one is washing only his face, hands, or feet, it is permitted to do so even with hot water. A ba’al nefesh, however, does not wash at all, even with cold water.

Laundry, Haircuts, and Shaving

Me’ikar hadin, one may launder clothing, get a haircut, and shave on a taanit.

Stringency of a Ba’al Nefesh

The Mishnah Berurah, siman 550, se’if katan 6, writes as follows:

משנה ברורה על שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות תשעה באב ושאר תעניות סימן תקנ סעיף ב
 (ו) מותרים ברחיצה וכו' - דבשעה שרצו וקבלו עליהם לצום בכל הארבע תענית הנ"ל לא קבלו עליהם שיהיו בחומר ת"צ כט"ב לפי שאין רוב הצבור יכולין לעמוד בה ובעל נפש יחמיר בכולן כמו בט"ב

Mishnah Berurah on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchos Tisha B’Av and the other fast days, siman 550, se’if 2:

“(6) ‘They are permitted to wash, etc.’ This means that at the time when the people originally accepted upon themselves to fast on all four of the above fast days, they did not accept upon themselves that these fasts should have the same stringencies as the public fast of Tisha B’Av, because the majority of the community would not be able to withstand such stringencies. However, a ba’al nefesh should be stringent in all of them, just as on Tisha B’Av.”

Therefore, according to this, a ba’al nefesh should not wash at all during the taanit, just as on Tisha B’Av, not even with cold water, and should also be stringent with regard to sichah.

However, it is important to note that with regard to eating on the night prior to the fast, me’ikar hadin one is allowed to eat, even a ba’al nefesh.

Wearing Shoes

With regard to walking barefoot: even a ba’al nefesh, when going outside, should wear shoes, since in public it would appear as yohara (haughty) and look inappropriate. However, at home, a ba’al nefesh should be stringent and not wear leather shoes, even on the night prior to the fast, just as on Tisha B’Av.

May we merit the speedy coming of the Mashiach, and that the fast days will turn into days of joy and happiness.

• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 568, se’if 12
• Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, siman 122
• Mishnah Berurah, Orach Chaim, siman 550, se’if katan 6
• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, siman 550
• Psakim of Harav Amrom Fried shlit”a