Hi Everyone!

  1. First, I’m so sorry for not posting for so long. (I feel like I say that every post :(  ) I had so many ideas- and guess what? I didn’t follow my own good advice for taking care of yourself- and I got sick. Again. I was way too worn out to think, let alone type. Feeling a bit better, so paying you all back for your patience.
  2. Everyone who’s suggested ideas—Thank you so much. Wondering why I haven’t used them yet? The thing is, although they’re good ideas, if you want me to give you advice instead of just blabbering about something vaguely related—you’re going to have to be more specific. Anyone who wants a specific topic or idea discussed, can you please give me more details. Either e-mail me or reply to this post with your dilemma, and if I don’t have any major ideas next week, I’ll do it. I’ll try to do everyone’s ideas ASAP.
  3. Now for the post

What could be harder than fasting?

I’ll tell you. Not fasting. Especially if you’re usually 100% healthy 100% of the time, and have already fasted every fast for two years. It’s so hard to convince yourself that this is the right thing to do.

Some of you probably have experienced this once or twice. Maybe a few of you are under strict orders to only fast the major fasts. Some of you probably won’t experience this for many, many years. Whatever your situation, you’ll definitely get the principle behind the idea.

It’s so hard to convince yourself to eat when you feel like you shouldn’t. I managed to talk myself into it like this.

The point of fasting isn’t a punishment. Chas V’shalom. It’s a reminder- of what happened on that day. And of another thing.

It would be really cruel to make your pets fast, right? Pets need food to survive. It’s one of their basic physical needs. Why deprive them of it?

So why do we do it to ourselves? We also have food as a basic need. Our bodies also need constant and regular nutrition. G-d doesn’t want to hurt us. So why would he do this to us?

We might be physical bodies, but we’re not only physical bodies. Six times a year, G-d asks us to remember that. To put our physical bodies aside in order to nourish our souls.

So then, why not fast? If we’re not only physical, why can’t someone who’s ill fast?

(Fed up of reading italics.) G-d didn’t ‘say’ “Every single person must fast, no matter what!” It’s something you do if you can. There’s no such thing as ‘I don’t want to.’ But we were also commanded to take care of our bodies. If G-d gave you an illness or a medical condition, this is so important. In your case, G-d does not want you to fast.

That how I made myself do it. I told myself, every bite, “G-d doesn’t want you to fast. G-d told you not to fast. Your job today is not too fast. Your job today is to not fast.”

Obviously, you need to ask a Rabbi. Each case is different. Had it been any other fast day, I probably would be fasting. But once you ask the Rabbi, you do what he said. G-d’s telling you that He Does Not Want You To Fast. And if so, so be it.

breakfast

Next week, barring other submissions, I hope to talk about Pesach cleaning- How to reduce the stress, and the benefits cleaning has on your neshama (soul). Of course, if I get other submissions, I might just do two. :)