Is It Permissible to Take Supplements Which Help Ease Fasting on Erev Yom Kippur

Is It Permissible to Take Supplements Which Help Ease Fasting on Erev Yom Kippur

ועניתם את נפשתיכם - “And You Shall Afflict Your Souls" (Vayikra 16:31)

Many people take vitamins, supplements, or kalei tzom pills [a type of pill which is supposed to make it easier to fast] before Yom Kippur in order to reduce the difficulty of the fast.

Is it proper for healthy individuals to take fast-easing supplements? After all, by reducing the discomfort of the fast, one may be diminishing the mitzvah of “v’innisem es nafshoseichem”. Perhaps only those who truly cannot fast without assistance may take such aids, but those who can manage without them are undermining the mitzvah of affliction.

The Mitzvah to Eat on Erev Yom Kippur

Reason for the Mitzvah:

The answer to this question would seemingly depend on what is behind the mitzvah of eating on erev Yom Kippur. If the mitzvah was instituted to make the fast easier, then presumably it would be okay to take fast-easing supplements. If, however, the mitzvah was instituted for some other purpose, then artificially reducing the affliction may be inappropriate.

The Gemara (Yoma 81b) teaches: “Whoever eats and drinks on the ninth, the Torah considers it as though he fasted on the ninth and the tenth.”

Rashi explains that the implication of the pasuk 'ועניתם וגו' בתשעה וגו – “you shall afflict yourself etc. on the ninth etc.” is that one must prepare himself on the ninth so that he will be able to fast on the tenth.

Strengthening Oneself:

Rabbeinu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvah 4:10) writes that one of the reasons for the mitzvah of eating on erev Yom Kippur is: “So that we strengthen ourselves to increase in tefillah and tachnunim [supplications] on Yom Kippur, and to set counsel in our souls regarding teshuvah.”

The Tur (O.C. 604) expands on this idea quoting the Rosh and writes: We are commanded to eat and drink beforehand so that we can endure the fast and not be harmed by it. He compares it to a king who commands his son to fast and instructs his servants to feed him beforehand so he can tolerate it.

The Tur concludes: The minhag is to increase with seudos on this day.

According to this, the mitzvah itself aims to reduce the difficulty of the fast — suggesting that taking supplements to help ease the fast may likewise be permissible.

Increasing the Affliction:

However, the Shibolei HaLeket (Seder Yom HaKippurim, siman 307) gives the opposite reason for eating on erev Yom Kippur: By eating more on erev Yom Kippur, the fast becomes more difficult, and the affliction is greater.

Similarly, the Aruch HaShulchan (604:4) notes: The Anshei Maʼamad fasted on Monday to Thursday, however, they didn't fast on Sunday. The reason they didn't fast on Sunday, is because going directly from pleasure to affliction is harder on the body and dangerous. We see that fasting is harder on the body when it is followed by a day of pleasure.

According to this approach, one should not take supplements that reduce the affliction, since the Torah instructs “v’innisem es nafshoseichem”, that Yom Kippur should be a day of affliction.

Affliction Beyond Abstaining from Food

Another question that we need to discuss is when the Torah requires one to fast on Yom Kippur, is the purpose of the fast to merely abstain from food, or is there an independent mitzvah of affliction?

The Gemara (Shabbos 114b) permits separating leaves from stalks on Yom Kippur when it falls on Shabbos to help prepare them for eating after the fast.

Rashi explains that the reason it is permitted is because such a melachah is rabbinic, and since it causes anguish it is permitted on Yom Kippur. Preparing food and not being able to eat it causes anguish and is likely to cause inuy – affliction to a person.

Rashi adds that since the only reason it is allowed is because it causes inuy, it is only permissible after the time of Mincha, as by that time of the day one anticipates the end of the fast and there is added anguish to prepare food and not be able to partake of it.

Even more than this, the Maharil (Minhagim Hilchos Yom Kippur) brings in the name of the Mahari Segal that there is a minhag for children to play with nuts on Yom Kippur. The reason for this minhag, is because handling nuts and not eating them increases affliction. He then cites proof from the aforementioned Gemara in Shabbos.

We see from here, that besides refraining from eating food, there is an independent mitzvah of affliction. According to this, seemingly one should avoid taking fast-easing supplements.

However, the Rashba and other Rishonim explain that the Gemara refers to post-fast affliction: Preparing food now prevents hunger and distress later, when one would otherwise need to prepare everything from scratch.

The Mishnah Berurah (611 s.k. 5) cites the Rashba's explanation and not Rashi's.

It Is Not Proper to Remove the Affliction

The Sdei Chemed (Vol. 6, Mareches Yom Kippur 1:18) quotes Rav Menachem Nosson Auerbach who writes: Many people perform various “segulos” on erev Yom Kippur to avoid feeling the fast, and even boast that they feel no hunger or thirst.

He writes: “I fear whether this is proper. The simple meaning of the verse ‘kol haʼnefesh asher lo se’uneh' implies that one must experience affliction. How can one deliberately remove the affliction on this holy day?"

He proves from Rashi in Shabbos, that any additional affliction one can take upon himself on this day is a mitzvah. So how can people go and do something in advance against the will of the Torah, and do acts which ease the affliction.

His conclusion is: It is not appropriate to perform segulos that eliminate the affliction — not as a chumra, but because it contradicts the essence of the day.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l likewise stated (Derech Sicha pg. 380) that from Rashi in Shabbos it is clear that additional affliction is a mitzvah.

Rav Shlomah Zalman Auerbach zt"l

Rav Shlomah Zalman zt"l ruled (Minchas Shlomah, Vol. 2, 58:25 and in Halichos Shlomah Perek 6, Devar Halachah 16): For a healthy person there is no prohibition in eating foods that ease the fast. However, it is not proper — it is akin to being a “naval birshus haTorah.”

The Elyah Rabbah (563 s.k. 1) writes that one shouldn't eat before a fast more than normal, as then the fast won't affect the person properly as during the fast his body will sustain itself from the additional food one ate before the fast.

R' Shlomah Zalman writes that this applies only to other fasts, not Yom Kippur, where the Torah explicitly commands eating beforehand.

For a non-dangerously sick person, who is allowed to eat in an abnormal manner, certainly he may take fast-easing supplements before the fast.

It Is Permitted to Ease the Fast

The Opinion of the Tzitz Eliezer

The Tzitz Eliezer (Vol. 7 siman 32) writes that he went through the lengthy Teshuvah of the Sdei Chemed, however, he concludes that with great respect what is written there is very difficult and there are many questions on it. He concludes: It is clear in my eyes that there is no issue with performing segulos or taking aids before Yom Kippur and the prohibition of affliction applies only once the fast begins.

The Opinion of the Chelkas Yaakov

The Shu”t Chelkas Yaakov (Orach Chaim 216) was asked about a pill invented by doctors, which if taken at the beginning of the day helps one avoid feeling hungry the entire day. The pill contained 200 small granules which dissolved slowly throughout the day and each time a granule dissolved it helped ease hunger. The sho'el [asker] wanted to know if one may take such a thing on erev Yom Kippur to help ease the fast.

The Chelkas Yaakov ruled that it is obvious that it is permissible to take such a thing. Even if the pill helps one feel satisfied on Yom Kippur, the act of eating occurred before Yom Kippur. It is comparable to eating on Yom Kippur until one feels satisfied, and then just before Yom Kippur eating more in order that it takes longer for the food to digest and for one to start feeling hungry.

The Chelkas Yaakov proves that taking such pills are allowed, as we find that some foods digest quickly and some foods digest slowly and we don't find that it is forbidden to eat slow digesting foods on erev Yom Kippur.

He then brings that although one is taking the pill in order to make the fast easier and he is missing out on the requirement of “inuy” – “affliction” mentioned by the pasuk, there is nothing wrong and on the contrary Rashi (Yoma 81b) brings that one must prepare himself on the ninth so that he can fast on the tenth.

It Is a Mitzvah to Ease the Fast

The Mishnah Halachos (Vol. 7 siman 82) rules that taking fast-easing supplements is permissible. His reasoning is that the pasuk “v’innisem es nafshoseichem” does not imply that one may not take steps on erev Yom Kippur to reduce hunger on Yom Kippur. On the contrary, the Torah commands us to eat on erev Yom Kippur precisely to make the fast easier as is clear from Rashi (Yoma 81b) and the Tur (604).

He adds: The Achronim have discussed whether one may use stratagems to exempt himself from a mitzvas aseh. For example: If a person has an airplane is he allowed to keep flying from one place to the other, ensuring that when he arrives it is never Shabbos. The conclusion of the poskim is that doing such a thing is forbidden as one may not evade a mitzvah through artificial manipulation of time or place.

However, regarding our case the Torah explicitly commands us to eat on erev Yom Kippur and to do tricks to ensure we can fast on Yom Kippur. Therefore, on the contrary, taking supplements to ease the fast is not an evasion of the mitzvah — it is part of fulfilling the mitzvah, enabling one to fast as the Torah requires.

The explanation is that when the Torah commanded us to fast, it did not require active self-inflicted suffering. Rather, it required not eating, not drinking, and refraining from the five afflictions.

The Mishnah Halachos concludes: There is no doubt that one may take fast-easing supplements, and perhaps it is even recommendable to take them. Certainly, for one who finds the fast difficult, doing so is a mitzvah, enabling proper avodah on the holy day.

I heard an additional insight: The word nefesh in the pasuk of “v’innisem es nafshoseichem" may refer not only to the physical appetite, but also to the will, as Rashi explains (Bereishis 23:8): “Im yesh es nafsh’chem” — meaning your desire.

Thus, v'innisem es nafshoseichem may mean: One experiences affliction when he wants to eat but cannot. Therefore, even if one took fast-easing supplements, he still desires food but cannot partake of it — and this itself is considered affliction.

A person must evaluate himself honestly. If he is strong, healthy, and knows he can fast without assistance, he need not take supplements. But if he knows that weakness will interfere with his avodas hayom — it is recommended to take permitted supplements on the ninth, so he may serve Hashem properly on Yom Kippur. Everything depends on the individual.

The Chafetz Chaim's Advice for Ensuring an Easy Fast

In Derech Sichah (pg. 381), Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l was asked:

Rav Shlomah Bloch zt"l related that the Chafetz Chaim would give advice before a fast to make it easier, which would seemingly imply that he held it was permissible to do things in advance to help ease the fast.

Rav Chaim responded: Rav Eliyahu Dushnitzer zt"l indeed reported that the Chafetz Chaim would hang a note in the Radin Yeshiva before Tisha B'Av with two points:

1. A suggestion to ease the fast: Drink one cup of very sweet tea, then a second cup without sugar.
2. Those who struggle to learn the devorim hamutarim on erev Tisha B'Av may learn their regular material.

However, this doesn't prove anything in regard to Yom Kippur as the Chafetz Chaim gave this advice only to those who could not fast otherwise.

Wishing People “Have an Easy Fast”

R' Hadar Yehuda Margolin shlita (Birchas Moʼadecha pg. 292) writes against those who wish people on erev Yom Kippur “have an easy fast”. He continues that after the fast people ask each other, “how was the fast", however, they are missing the main point, as the fast is not the main thing, rather it is the teshuvah, tefillah and coming closer to Hashem, the fast is just an opportunity to do this.

He writes: The best thing to do would be for people to wish each other before the fast, "You should have a meaningful fast, and a day full of inspiration and coming close to Hashem".

R' Gamliel Rabinovich shlita (Gam Ani Odcha) discusses this, and he says that wishing someone “have an easy fast" seems to go against the concept that Yom Kippur is a day of ועניתם – affliction. He then brings that R' Dadon said that the question of whether one can wish someone “have an easy fast" would depend on the machlokes if one is allowed to take fast easing supplements (kalei tzom) before the fast. According to those who allow taking the pills, one would be allowed to wish his friend "have an easy fast", and according to those who hold that one can't, then it would be a problem.

Some people wish each other, “you should have an easy and meaningful fast", to stress, that the fast itself is not what it is all about, and that the idea of the fast is teshuvah.

There is a story that the Yismach Yisrael (Toldos Yismach Yisrael, Vol. 2, Perek 19, pg. 523) once wished a young child who broke his fast, “May it be Hashem's will that just like this year the fast was easy for you, so too for the rest of your life it should be easy."

When this child became older, he said that not once did he feel the pain or discomfort of a fast. From here it would seem quite clear that one may wish his friend "have an easy fast".