Q&A: Women's Obligation to Fast
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This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Women's Obligation to Fast.
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Is there room to be lenient for a healthy woman who finds fasting difficult, and allow her not to fast tomorrow?
Answer
Nowadays, the three fasts depend on the custom of the Jewish people, and as is well known, the custom is to fast. I do not see any permission for a healthy person not to fast.
Discussion on Answer
It doesn't seem to me that there is such a women's custom. Nor do I think it has any basis.
There are all kinds of leniencies for women regarding fasts, and it is not clear where they came from.
The question is whether these leniencies should be dismissed since they have no basis, or whether, since this depends on custom, and women have been more lenient about this, one may rely on that custom.