Is this true - Chassidish Women do not fast, period

amother

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 10:46 pm

not chassidish, but my sister married a viznitzer and she only fasts Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av. don't know anything more...

mom7270

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 10:47 pm

I am ger and I do not fast except for tisha bav and yom kippur, but it all deoends on who you ask.. that is what my rav paskened for me...

Motek

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 11:26 pm

Does this have anything to do with being pregnant or nursing?

For example, what about a newlywed? What about someone past childbearing years?

By the way, Brisker men and women don't fast except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av too, because they consider us all too weak to do so.

raizy

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 11:29 pm

what does this have to do with chassidishpple. I went to a litvish school and it was split on who was fasting ... and who was not. I was chassidish and I fasted ... its a personnal choice.

Mama Bear

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 11:50 pm

even young newlyweds and post childbearing, if they feel they can't, they dont fast. There are definitely people who fast, but if you feel it will affect your ability to parent/run the house etc, then you dont have to.

Crayon210

Tue, Mar 18 2008, 11:51 pm

Motek wrote:

By the way, Brisker men and women don't fast except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av too, because they consider us all too weak to do so.

amother

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 12:13 am

I dont fast cuz my husband says I don't have to. My shvigger fasts when she can until 11 AM.

happyone

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 12:19 am

false as a general statement. I'm chassidish and do fast. Rabbonim are much more lenient if women are pregnant, nursing , or have any medical condition. Fact is that in thriving communities, lots of woman are in some catagory or another - and that's where this information is coming from. I believe if someone is of perfect health, not pregnant or nursing, and is not taking medication for anything, why should she not fast??

GAMZu

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 12:23 am

Because even if a woman is not preg or nursing, but still has little children to take care of, she might not be able to care for them properly while fasting.

mimivan

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 2:40 am

This is interesting. I didn't know most chaseedish women only fast Y.K and Tisha b'Av...that's why I thought it was strange when a chassidish woman seemed amazed I was fasting on 10th of teves when I was nursing (I asked a shayla...the rav said I should try)

I'm Chabad and I asked shaylas everytime I am preg and nursing which fasts to fast. I was told if I am pregnant, I should attempt every fast except for Tzom Gedalia and Taanis Esther and if nursing, I should try to fast all of them...(but if I have to break a minor fast, I was told what to do)

this might not be true across the board in Chabad...it was just based on the shaylas I asked

shalhevet

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 3:33 am

Motek wrote:

By the way, Brisker men and women don't fast except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av too, because they consider us all too weak to do so.

I have no idea where you got that from, but it is totally wrong.

suomynona

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 5:04 am

No, I've heard that too.
The joke goes that Brisker men don't fast but women do because the Briskers don't make their wives take on their chumras, in this case being mapkid on pikuach nefesh, I guess.

Ruchel

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 7:16 am

Yes my grandfather told me chassidish women do only YK and Tisha be Av, and if they're pregnant the rabbanim are lenient even on these fasts.
My grandma often does half/until noon.

sruth1

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 8:22 am

Motek wrote:

By the way, Brisker men and women don't fast except for Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av too, because they consider us all too weak to do so.

This is not true. They are just more leniant about giving Hetairim for someone who is not feeling well to not fast on a fast day, but it is not a streight out for every fast day and every person, it done by each individual on each fast day. The reasoning for the leniancy is because someone daughter died years ago after having an asthma attack brought on by fasting.

louche

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 8:49 am

GAMZu wrote:

Because even if a woman is not preg or nursing, but still has little children to take care of, she might not be able to care for them properly while fasting.

suppose you're a healthy, single 20-year-old who works as a librarian. Why should you not fast?

ChossidMom

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 9:33 am

I married into a chassidish family and I can't think of one woman who doesn't fast on every fast day.

chocolate moose

Wed, Mar 19 2008, 9:45 am

louche wrote:

suppose you're a healthy, single 20-year-old who works as a librarian. Why should you not fast?

Because, if you don't fast well, and have to lie in bed all day, that's not the point of the fast. My daughter doesn't fast except for YK and TB (IIRC) b/c of that. She's a teenager.