Start of a Fast Day
Question
CALENDAR GIVES 2 TIMES FOR START OF FAST OF TEVES . EITHER DAWN DEGREES OR DAWN FIXED DEGREESS. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE 2 TIMES IS 42 MINUTES WHY IS THERE A DIFFERNCE OF OPINION AS TO WHEN DAWN STARTS AND WHAT IS THE ACCEPTED VIEW AS TO WHICH TIME ONE SHOULD TAKE
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
There are several opinions as to what is defined as “Alos Hashachar” – the crack of dawn, the two main opinions are either from 90 minuets or 72 minutes before sunrise.
This relates to the unresolved dispute whether Alos Hashachar is a measurement based on time or a measurement based on the position of the sun below the horizon. There are various opinions in each of these possibilities.
Le'halacha the opinion of Rav Fried is that a fast begins 72 minutes before sunrise.