So much is written about the fun side of the festival of Purim that the fast day which precedes it is easily overlooked. Here in this piece our member Rabbi Paul Bloom lists the veil on some of the hidden mysteries of this special day.
The Fast of Esther, observed annually on 13 Adar,
is a lesser-known fast in the Jewish tradition. Many are familiar with the
general idea that it commemorates Queen Esther’s fast before approaching King
Achashverosh, yet there are several intriguing aspects of this fast that remain
unfamiliar to many.
The Origins of the Fast
“If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether it was just for such a time as this that you attained royalty?” (Esther 4:14).
Moved by these words, Esther instructed Mordechai to gather
the Jews in Shushan for a three-day fast. The problem, however, is that this
fast was actually observed on 13, 14, and 15 Nissan,
immediately before Pesach. The fast of Esther that we observe, however, is only
one day and falls on 13 Adar. Why the difference?
Why Is Our Fast Only One Day?
One explanation is that Chazal had mercy on the people and
shortened the fast from three days to one, recognizing the great difficulty of
such an extended period of fasting. A more significant issue, however, is the
shift in the date. Why do we fast on 13 Adar instead of in Nissan,
when the original fast occurred?
The halakhic answer is that Jewish tradition avoids
establishing fast days in the month of Nissan, given its close association
with the redemption from Egypt. The only fast that remains in Nissan is the
Fast of the Firstborn, and even that is often replaced by a siyyum (completion
of Torah study). Consequently, the Fast of Esther was shifted to 13 Adar, the day before Purim.
An Alternative Origin of the Fast
However, there is another view that the Fast of Esther is
not actually a commemoration of Esther’s three-day fast, but rather an
entirely separate fast that is unrecorded in the Megillah. According to this
perspective, Jewish soldiers had a custom of fasting before going into
battle as a way to pray for divine assistance. A precedent for such a
practice is found in the book of Shmuel, where King Saul prohibited
his soldiers from eating until they defeated their enemies (Shmuel I 14:24–30).
The Fast of Esther, in this understanding, marks the fast of the Jewish people
as they prepared to defend themselves on 13 Adar, the very day when
Haman’s decree permitted their destruction.
The Connection to Pesach
A fascinating aspect of Esther’s fast is its connection
to Pesach. The original three-day fast included 13,
14, and 15 Nissan, meaning that the Jews, including Esther, may not
have observed the Pesach Seder as they were fasting during the night as well.
Some commentators argue that they might have skipped the matzah and maror that
year due to the severity of the decree. Others suggest an alternative
explanation: when the Megillah states that they fasted for "three days,
night and day" (Esther 4:16), it does not necessarily mean absolute
fasting. Instead, it could indicate that they extended their daily fasts
slightly into the night but still managed to eat something, allowing them to
minimally fulfill the mitzvot of the Pesach Seder.
Significantly, Esther first invited Achashverosh and Haman
to a feast on 15 Nissan, right after the conclusion of the
three-day fast. On that same night—still the night of the second day of
Pesach—Haman was unable to sleep, which led to a chain of events resulting in
his downfall. He was ultimately hanged on 16 Nissan, making
the second day of Pesach the day of Haman’s demise. This highlights an
often-overlooked connection between Purim and Pesach, as both
holidays celebrate the salvation of the Jewish people.
The Unique Status of the Fast of Esther
One of the most striking aspects of the Fast of Esther is
its unusual status within Jewish law. Unlike other fasts such as Tisha
B’Av, 17 Tammuz, 10 Tevet, and the Fast of Gedaliah,
which are based on biblical or early rabbinic sources (Zechariah 8:19), the
Fast of Esther is not explicitly mentioned in the Mishnah or the Talmud as a
permanent fast. It emerged later, during the Geonic period, making it
the only post-Talmudic fast in the Jewish calendar.
The resolution to this contradiction lies in a fundamental
debate recorded in the Gemara: Did the holidays of Megillat Ta’anit
lose their obligatory status after the destruction of the Second Temple? The
prevailing opinion suggests that these minor celebratory days were only binding
during the time of the Temple, and once it was destroyed, their special status
was nullified. This permitted later authorities to establish the Fast of Esther
on 13 Adar, overriding the previous restrictions set by Megillat
Ta’anit.
Conclusion: A Day of Reflection and Connection
The Fast of Esther is a fascinating and somewhat mysterious
day in the Jewish calendar. While commonly understood as a remembrance of
Esther’s three-day fast, there are serious halakhic and historical reasons to
question this assumption. Whether its origins lie in the story of Esther’s fast
or in the Jewish tradition of fasting before battle, the day holds deep
significance. It is also unique as the only post-Talmudic fast widely observed
by the Jewish people.
Beyond its origins, the Fast of Esther connects Purim to the
broader themes of Jewish history, particularly the story of Pesach.
The juxtaposition of the two holidays highlights an important lesson: whether
in the days of Pharaoh or Haman, Hashem has continuously saved the Jewish
people at moments of great peril.
Thus, Taanit Esther is not just a prelude to Purim—it is a call for reflection, introspection, and prayer, reminding us of our collective responsibility and the enduring power of Jewish unity in times of adversity.
