What Is the Biblical Fast?

Throughout the Bible and throughout the centuries, God’s people have practiced the spiritual discipline of fasting during holy observances and during times of need. Moses, Elijah, Queen Esther, and Jesus are among the many biblical men and women who fasted in order to draw closer to God and seek His will. Watch as Fellowship Board Chairman Bishop Paul Lanier reflects on this practice and shares a call to God’s people to come together in prayer and fasting. 

What Is the Biblical Fast?

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” — Zechariah 8:19 

Fasting in Judaism has been a longstanding practice, in some instances tied to the observance of key festivals and holy days, but also as a communal response to tragedy and as a call to repentance. References to fasting can be found in the books of Samuel, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, the Psalms, and many other places in the Bible. It was quite natural in ancient times for people to fast as part of their service to God. Spontaneous personal and communal fasts were also common. 

But the Bible mentions six official days as times for fasting. So what are these fast days and why were they established to be observed for generations to come? 

Discover how you can conduct a personal day of fasting and prayer.

Understanding the Meaning of Jewish Fasting

Jewish fasting is a spiritual practice that holds deep significance. It is not merely about abstaining from food and drink, but also about introspection, repentance, and drawing closer to God. Fasting is a tool that helps us focus on our spiritual needs over our physical needs, a time for soul-searching and improving our relationship with God. 

What Is the Point of Fasting?

So, what is the point of Jewish fast days? Are they for lamenting the past or celebrating it? 

The answer is neither. Fast days, whether they commemorate good times or bad times, have three main outcomes: To get us to stop our daily routines, consider our actions, and decide on changes that need to be made in our lives. 

God doesn’t need us to go a day without food or water. It does not please Him to watch us suffer. In fact, according to Jewish tradition, God will hold us accountable if we do not enjoy all that He has given us, including the food that He created for our nourishment and our enjoyment. 

But God allows us to fast if it will lead to something greater. God does not want us to suffer, but He also doesn’t want us to make poor life decisions, which lead to even greater suffering. This is why He allows us to deny ourselves food and water so that we might reconsider our ways. When we hold back from our physical needs, we are free to focus on our spiritual needs. 

As we go hungry, we become more sensitive to helping others. When we feel weak, we remember that we are completely dependent on God and His provisions in order to survive. When we refrain from physical pleasure, we demonstrate to God that our spiritual pursuits are more important than our material endeavors. 

God wants us to fast only if it leads us to act. He only enjoys an empty stomach if it leads to a full heart. 

What Are the Jewish Fast Days?

Each fast day on the Jewish calendar holds its own unique significance, commemorating historical events, moments of tragedy, or occasions for repentance and renewal. These fasts provide opportunities to engage in introspection, seek atonement, and draw closer to God. 

From the holiest of days, Yom Kippur, to the minor fasts that commemorate important events in Jewish history, each of these observances serves as an opportunity for repentance, mourning, and reflection, allowing us to purify our souls and strengthen communal bonds. 

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

The first and most paramount of all fast days is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Of all the fast days, this day alone was prescribed by God in the Bible. Leviticus 16:29 commands God’s people to “deny yourselves” on Yom Kippur. This includes eating or drinking, washing or bathing, marital relations, wearing leather shoes, and applying luxurious oils. As the name of the day suggests, denying ourselves is part of the process of attaining atonement on Yom Kippur. This is a fast of repentance, and appropriately, the day is spent mostly in prayer and introspection. Yom Kippur is considered a major fast day, and in Judaism, it has only one other counterpart—the fast of Tisha B’Av, the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av, which commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem—each of which occurred hundreds of years apart on the exact same date.

Tisha B’Av: Mourning the Destruction of the Temples

Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is a major fast that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. This day of intense mourning is marked by a 25-hour fast, starting at sunset and ending the following night. On Tisha B’Av, Jews refrain from eating and drinking, as well as from bathing, anointing with oils, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in marital relations. The day is spent in mourning and reflection, with the Book of Lamentations being read in synagogues. 

The Fast of Gedaliah

The Fast of Gedaliah is observed on the third day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, immediately following Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This minor fast day commemorates the assassination of Gedaliah ben Ahikam, the Jewish governor of Judah appointed by the Babylonians after the destruction of the First Temple. His assassination marked the end of Jewish autonomy in the land of Israel and the beginning of the Babylonian exile. 

The Tenth of Tevet

The Tenth of Tevet, observed on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a minor fast that commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, which ultimately led to the destruction of the First Temple. The fast begins at dawn and ends at nightfall, during which Jews abstain from food and drink as they remember this tragic event in Jewish history. 

The Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther is observed on the thirteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the day before the festival of Purim. 

This fast recalls the three days that Esther and the Jews fasted before she approached King Xerxes in order to save her people from the wicked Haman. The fast is observed the day before Purim, the holiday celebrating the events in the Book of Esther. It was on this day that the Jews again fasted as they defended themselves against their enemies. Both events are remembered during the Fast of Esther because it was thanks to Esther and her cousin Mordecai that a royal decree was issued allowing the Jews to mobilize and defend themselves from attacks. 

As this is not one of the four fast days specifically mentioned by the prophets, it is observed with greater leniency than the other fast days. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and others of generally weak health (who would suffer by fasting) are not required to participate. 

The Seventeenth of Tammuz

The Seventeenth of Tammuz is a minor fast observed on the seventeenth day of the Hebrew month of Tammuz. This fast commemorates the breach of the walls of Jerusalem by the Romans, leading to the destruction of the Second Temple. It marks the beginning of a three-week period of mourning, culminating in Tisha B’Av. During this fast, Jews refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until nightfall, engaging in prayer and reflection on the events that led to the loss of the Temple. 

The Fast of the Firstborn

The Fast of the Firstborn is observed on the day before Passover. It commemorates the salvation of the Israelite firstborns during the final plague in Egypt, when God struck down the Egyptian firstborns but spared the Israelites. Traditionally, firstborn males fast on this day, but the fast is often broken by participating in a celebratory meal following a siyum, the completion of a Torah study.

What Are Jewish Fast Days of Mourning?

In truth, Tisha B’Av was destined to be a day of calamity as, according to Jewish tradition, it was on this day that the 12 spies sent by Moses to see the Promised Land returned to the Israelites with a bad report, causing the people’s hearts to turn away from God. Because of that, God barred that generation from entering the Promised Land and sent them back into the desert to wander for another 40 years. 

Both the First and Second Temples were destroyed on this day, along with a host of other Jewish tragedies throughout history: the defeat of Bar Kochba’s revolt, thus ending Jewish resistance to the Romans (135 CE); the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and the onset of the Spanish Inquisition (1492); and more recently, the deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp (1942). 

As on Yom Kippur, we refrain from the same five activities on Tisha B’Av. And like Yom Kippur, the fast begins at dusk and ends at nightfall the following day. The fast of Tisha B’Av, however, is one of mourning and sadness. In How Firm a Foundation, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein wrote, “We are to vicariously feel the depth of grief and sadness that has marked this date throughout history. For we, too, are mourners on Tisha B’Av; we, too, ‘let tears stream down like a torrent day and night’ over the fall of Jerusalem, the ‘daughter of Zion’ (Lamentations 2:18).” 

What Are the Minor Jewish Fast Days?

Three of the four minor fasts are also related to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. In the Book of Zechariah, the prophet referred to them by the Hebrew months in which they fall: “The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful…” The fourth month is Tammuz, and on the 17th day of that month, the walls of Jerusalem were breached, allowing the enemy to enter. It took three weeks of fighting, but in the fifth month, on the ninth of Av, the First Temple was destroyed. 

On the minor fast days, Jews only refrain from eating and drinking. In addition, the minor fasts are observed from dawn until dusk and do not begin the night before as with major fast days. 

Jewish Fasting Rules

Fasting is a deeply meaningful practice, guided by specific rules and traditions that have been preserved and observed throughout Jewish history. These rules are essential for fully and meaningfully engaging in the practice of fasting, and they ensure that fasting fulfills its intended spiritual and communal purposes.

General Rules for Jewish Fasting

1. Total abstention from food and drink: On major fast days such as Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, Jews are required to abstain from all food and drink for the entire duration of the fast. This includes both solid foods and liquids. 

2. Additional prohibitions on major fast days: On Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, there are additional prohibitions beyond not eating or drinking. These include: 

• No bathing, except for minimal washing for hygiene. 

• Avoiding the use of perfumes or lotions. 

• Refraining from wearing leather footwear, which is considered a luxury. 

• Abstaining from sexual relations to maintain a focus on repentance and spiritual reflection. 

Minor fasts

On minor fast days such as the Fast of Gedaliah, the Tenth of Tevet, the Fast of Esther, and the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the fast lasts from dawn to nightfall. During these fasts, eating and drinking are prohibited, but the additional restrictions applied on major fast days do not apply. 

Exceptions for Health

The rules acknowledge that fasting may not be feasible for everyone. Pregnant and nursing women, young children, the elderly, and individuals with health conditions that would be exacerbated by fasting are exempt. Jewish law prioritizes health and life, and those unable to fast for medical reasons are not only excused but encouraged not to fast. 

How Long Does the Bible Say to Fast?

The duration of fasts as prescribed in the Bible varies depending on the occasion and the significance of the fast. For the most solemn and sacred fast of Yom Kippur, the Bible commands a complete fast from sundown to the following nightfall, a period of approximately 25 hours. This is detailed in Leviticus 23:27-32 (KJV), where God instructs the Israelites to “afflict your souls” on this day of atonement, which includes a strict cessation of eating and drinking. 

Other biblical fasts, such as the fasts observed during times of crisis or mourning, often vary in length. For instance, the prophet Daniel fasted for three weeks (Daniel 10:2-3), consuming no meat or wine and applying no lotions. 

What Is the Fast That God Desires?

Use this devotional guide about a Spiritual Fast to inspire you to respond in acts of service.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter–
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” — Isaiah 58:6–7

When we think of Jewish fast days, many of us think of sadness. This is not surprising considering that four out of our six communal fast days recall tragic events, such as the siege of Jerusalem during Temple times, the day that the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and of course, the destruction of God’s Holy Temples. These, and other events that took place on these same days, are the darkest days in Jewish history. 

However, the most prominent of all Jewish fast days, Yom Kippur, is somber, yet celebratory. On this day we focus on repentance, but we also celebrate God’s mercy and forgiveness. In fact, the Jewish sages taught that Yom Kippur is one of the two most joyful days of the year on the Jewish calendar. 

Similarly, the Fast of Esther, which recalls the miracle of the Purim story recorded in the Book of Esther, is ultimately a happy day that leads to what is considered the most joyous holiday. While we acknowledge the terrible decree that hung over the heads of the Jewish people in Persia thousands of years ago, we know that with prayer, repentance, and fasting, the story ultimately resulted in the salvation and preservation of the Jewish people. 

A Means to an End

In the Book of Isaiah, God explained to His people: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” 

This idea is echoed in the Talmud, Judaism’s Oral Tradition, which teaches that a person who takes on a personal fast day, if it weakens him, is a sinner. If fasting causes us to lessen our service of God, instead of improving our service, we have missed the entire point of fasting altogether. 

Our fast days are considered auspicious times—days on which we can accomplish great things and rectify past mistakes. Just as festival days carry with them energy for positive change and growth, so do our fast days. These are days of opportunity for us—if only we take advantage of them. If we use our physical hunger as a springboard for our spiritual thirst and truly seek out God, we can transform all fast days into days of joy and celebration. 

Since fasting is only a means to an end, the Bible encourages us to focus on the ultimate goal—and not just on fast days, but on all days. As Daniel says, “Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue” (4:27). 

On fast days, and on all days, what we give up is less important than what we give forward. Giving charity, giving our hearts, and giving our time to pursue justice and righteousness are the greatest gifts that we can give to God. This is the kind of fast that He desires, and which pleases Him the most.

Take our quiz about the biblical fast to see how much you have learned.