Behab

What is Behab, please?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The fast of Behab is the custom of fasting three separate days following Pesach and Sukkot: Monday, Thursday, and again the following Monday. Indeed the name “Behab” is an acronym for “Monday, Thursday, and Monday.”

Mondays and Thursdays were chosen as the days on which to fast as they are days which have traditionally been associated with both judgment and favor as Monday was the day that Moshe ascended Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah and he descended on a Thursday.

This fast begins at dawn and ends at nightfall. Some only fast until midday. Sefardic communities do not observe Behab and even among Ashkenzaim fasting nowadays is very rare. Indeed, as the Fast of Behab is only a custom and not halachically required, one should not fast if it means compromising one’s daily productivity over the fasts. Many suffice with just reciting the Behab selichot prayers. Some have the custom to refrain from eating meat on the Behab fast days.

There are a number of reasons why the Behab fast days were established. One was to atone for any inappropriate behaviour one may have engaged in over the course of the most recent Yom Tov. It is also cited as a fast which atones for any forbidden work one may have done on Chol Ha’moed. Some say that fasting Behab is intended to strengthen our body in preparation for the changing seasons that occur after Pesach and Sukkot. Other reasons are given, as well.

Those who intend to fast Behab must formally accept the fast upon themselves at the Mincha prior to the fast. Alternatively, many congregations recite a “Misheberach” in the synagogue on the Shabbat before the fast. Answering “amen” at that time with the intention to fast is deemed sufficient to be included in the fast.