The halachos of the four minor fasts — Tzom Gedalia, Asara B’Teves, Taanis Esther and Shiva Asar B’Tammuz: what time the fast begins and ends, whether you may eat before dawn, who must fast and who is exempt (pregnant and nursing women, the ill, children, a chosson and kallah), taking medication, and Aneinu and Avinu Malkeinu.
Open in the app →These fasts begin at alos hashachar. The other fasts — Tzom Gedalia, Asara B’Teves, Taanis Esther and Shiva Asar B’Tammuz — begin at alos hashachar (dawn), unlike Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av which begin at sunset.
Star-K guide n.5 — there are various opinions on how to calculate the beginning and ending times of a fast; refer to your shul or local luach for exact times
All fasts end at tzeis hakochavim. All fasts end at tzeis hakochavim.
Star-K guide n.8 — when traveling by air, zmanim are determined by the position of the aircraft over the earth’s surface at any particular moment
Asara B’Teves on Erev Shabbos. Asara B’Teves that falls out on Erev Shabbos also ends at tzeis hakochavim, even in locations where it is summer.
Star-K guide n.9 — for example, in 5784/2023 and 5785/2025
Star-K guide n.10 — Kiddush is recited before eating
Eating before dawn. On those days, if one wants to arise before dawn and eat, he should go to sleep with the intention that he is not accepting the fast until dawn. Optimally, this should be stated, but having in mind to wake up and eat before dawn is also enough. If he did not intend to eat, then if he arose before the zman he may only drink until dawn.
From bar and bas mitzvah. The halachos apply to males from the age of thirteen and females from the age of twelve.
Star-K guide n.2On Yom Kippur, healthy children in the years leading up to their bar/bas mitzvah and capable of fasting should fast part of the day; some say this also applies to the other taaneisim. The Mishnah Berurah, however, says they do not fast at all but rather eat simple items.
Star-K guide n.2 — Mishnah Berurah 550:5 · Tosfos Yom Hakipurim, Yoma 82a · Rama MePanu 111
Pregnant and nursing women. Under normal conditions, a woman who is pregnant or nursing and in good health must fast on Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av. She is exempt on a Tisha B’Av that is a nidcheh and on the other fast days — unless she is strong and capable of fasting.
Star-K guide n.25 — a woman who has given birth within the past 30 days is not required to fast on Tisha B’Av
Star-K guide n.26 — moved to Sunday, the 10th of Av
One who is ill. One who is ill, even if the matter is not life-threatening, may eat or drink as normal. This includes illnesses that are either non-life threatening or that may arise as a consequence of the ta’anis.
Star-K guide n.23 — in general, pachos mi’keshiur applies to Yom Kippur and not to the other fasts
Star-K guide n.24 — on Taanis Esther, one can be more lenient and stop fasting even for a bad headache or strong pain to the eyes
A chosson and kallah. A chosson and kallah during the week of shevah brachos must fast, but are exempt on a Taanis Esther that is mukdam — moved back from Shabbos to Thursday, 11 Adar.
Star-K guide n.27 — the baalei bris — the mohel, father and sandek — must fast, but they may eat after Mincha Gedola
One who may eat, eats plainly. Anyone who is allowed to eat on a fast day should not indulge in delicacies or candy but rather eat basic foods.
Pachos mi’keshiur is a Yom Kippur matter. In general, pachos mi’keshiur applies to Yom Kippur and not to the other fasts. Nonetheless, on other fasts, if one only needs water in order to swallow a tablet, one should try to take it with less than a shiur of water.
Rinsing and brushing. On Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av one may not rinse his mouth or brush his teeth. On the other fasts it is preferable to avoid this, unless there is great discomfort.
Avinu Malkeinu. Avinu Malkeinu is recited at Shacharis and Mincha of fast days, unless there is no Tachanun — so not at Mincha of a Friday Asara B’Teves, and not at Mincha of a non-nidcheh Taanis Esther.
Star-K guide n.32 — Avinu Malkeinu can be recited without a minyan; Selichos can also be recited without a minyan
Aneinu at Mincha. Only one who is fasting — even if he knows he will break his fast later — recites Aneinu at Mincha in Shema Koleinu.
Sim Shalom at Mincha. At Mincha, Sim Shalom is recited instead of Shalom Rav.
Some keep certain halachos of the Nine Days. Besides Tisha B’Av, which has various hilchos aveilus, Shiva Asar B’Tammuz and Asara B’Teves also commemorate different stages of the churban Beis Hamikdash. Therefore, on these two fast days, some are zahir to observe certain halachos of the Nine Days. This includes not listening to music, not taking a haircut or shaving, and not bathing for pleasure.
Star-K guide n.35 — Kovetz Halachos, Bein Hameitzarim 2:4-5
Bathing for Shabbos. However, one may bathe l’kavod Shabbos when Asara B’Teves occurs on Friday.
It must be accepted the day before. If one fasts a private fast, he must “accept” the fast at Mincha the day before the fast. The nusach is found in many siddurim at the end of Elokai Netzor of Mincha. If he forgets, he can accept the fast after Mincha any time before sunset.
Star-K guide n.37 — Mishnah Berurah 562:2 · a chosson and kallah are not required to be mekabel their fast on the day before their wedding
Star-K guide n.38 — when accepting a private Sunday fast, recite the kabala at Mincha of Shabbos
Compiled from Rabbi Dovid Heber’s “When It’s ‘Not Kosher’ to Eat Kosher: The Halachos of the Fast Days” (Star-K, Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2023). Nothing here is our own psak — every entry carries the guide’s own footnote numbers and the sources those footnotes cite. Fast times vary by place and year: the guide itself says to use your shul’s or local luach. For a personal shailah — illness, pregnancy, nursing, medication — ask your Rov.
Published guides quoted: The Halachos of the Fast Days — Rabbi Dovid Heber (Star-K, Kashrus Kurrents Fall 2023)