Q&A: Doubt During Twilight on Rabbinic Days
Doubt During Twilight on Rabbinic Days
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Is one allowed to be lenient from the outset in a case of doubt during twilight on rabbinic days? For example, today, the Fast of the Tenth of Tevet—may one eat and drink already from sunset onward, since in general with a rabbinic doubt we are lenient? Or does one need to wait until nightfall?
I thought that perhaps the reasoning of "rather than have him eat it in prohibition, let him eat it permissibly" applies here—that is, something that will later become permitted, where even its doubtful status is treated stringently even in rabbinic matters.
With blessings,
Answer
The Tenth of Tevet is based on the words of the Prophets, and there are halakhic decisors who wrote that in cases of doubt one must be stringent. Beyond that, the Magen Avraham, regarding a rabbinic prohibition during twilight, wrote that one should distinguish between the onset of the day and the departure of the day, because during twilight at the end of the fast there is a presumption that the fast is still in effect.
I saw a bit about this here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11SDft4k8jKhFlWerJdCSxyUwBq_zRUl1