Tasting Food on a Fast Day

Hi, this coming Friday is going to be a fast day (Asarah Be’tevet), and generally, when I cook for Shabbos, I need to taste the food while cooking to know how much salt to add, etc. Would it be possible to taste the food even on a taanis?

Thank you for your question.

When it comes to tasting food, we need to understand the prohibition of tasting food on a fast day. Since you are not actually eating the food, why should it be forbidden?

תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף יד עמוד א

בעי מיניה אשיאן תנא דבי רבי אמי מרבי אמי: השרוי בתענית מהו שיטעום? אכילה ושתיה קביל עליה - והא ליכא, או דילמא הנאה קביל עליה - והא איכא? אמר ליה: טועם ואין בכך כלום.

If someone is fasting, is it permissible for them to taste food?
The gemarrah explains the question: Did they accept upon themselves to abstain from eating and drinking (and tasting is not considered eating or drinking, so it would be permitted), or did they accept upon themselves to refrain from any form of enjoyment (and tasting would be considered a form of enjoyment, so it would be prohibited)?
Rabbi Ami replied: "One may taste, and there is no issue with it."

So, we see that tasting on a fast day would not be considered a violation of the fast that they accepted upon themselves, since they accepted upon themselves only to refrain from eating and drinking, not from the enjoyment of tasting.

However, Tosafot adds:

תוספות מסכת ברכות דף יד עמוד א

או דילמא הנאה קביל עליה - האי לישנא משמע דמיירי בתענית יחיד שקבל עליו אבל בתענית הכתוב לא.

This phrasing implies that the discussion pertains to a private fast that an individual voluntarily accepted upon themselves, but not to a fast prescribed by the Torah (i.e., a public or mandatory fast).

Tosafot explains that if the fast is a mandatory fast, then, since it is not an individual accepting the fast upon themselves, we cannot argue that they did not accept even tasting. This is because a mandatory fast includes all its stringencies, and even the enjoyment of tasting would be forbidden.

The Rosh argues and writes in Tractate Taanit, Siman 15, that except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, one may taste food. This is because the other fasts are considered as if a person accepted the fast upon themselves, and therefore they only accepted refraining from actual eating and drinking, not the enjoyment of tasting.

These two opinions are brought in The Shulchan Aruch, Siman 567, Seif 1. The Mechaber writes that the halacha follows the Rosh, and except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, it would be permitted to taste the food, provided that one spits it out immediately afterward. However, the Rema disagrees and writes that the halacha follows the opinion of Tosafot mentioned earlier, and that on all mandatory fast days, it is prohibited to taste food.

So, lehalacha: according to the Sephardim, who follow the psak of the Mechaber, it would be permitted to taste the food on a fast day (other than Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av). However, according to the Ashkenazim, who follow the opinion of the Rema, it would be forbidden.

The Mishnah Berurah adds that even according to the Rema, if a person is cooking for a seudat mitzvah that will take place after the fast, one may be lenient and taste the food.

So, according to the above Mishnah Berurah, a person who generally tastes the food when cooking for Shabbos may taste a little of the food this coming Friday, even though it is a fast day, since preparing food for Shabbos is considered a tzorech mitzvah.

With regard to a bracha when tasting food – one is exempt from reciting a blessing since, by spitting out the food, it does not require a bracha.

May we merit to see the speedy arrival of the holy Moshiach, and instead of fasting, we will celebrate the coming of Mashiach.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 14a
2. Tosafot, Berachot 14a
3. Rosh, Tractate Ta’anit, Siman 15
4. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, Siman 567:1
5. Rema, Ibid
6. Mishnah Berurah, Ibid