19 Sep EATING ON EREV YOM KIPPUR

Eating on Erev Yom
Kippur
As we approach the
Yom Tov of Yom
Kippur, we think of
the importance of
the day, and we are
also concerned about
how we will make
it through the fast.
One of the interesting mitzvos we have
in relation to the fast is to eat on the
ninth day of Tishrei – Erev Yom Kippur.
Why is this so? What is the nature of the
mitzvah? Are women obligated in this
mitzvah? What about children, or people
who will notbe fasting on Yom Kippur?
What sho uld be eaten? These questions
and others will be addressed below.
Source
The Gemorah say that one should eat on
the ninth day, and by doing so he has a
mitzvah as if he fasted on the ninth and
the tenth of Tishrei.
Reasons
Rashi mentions the reason for eating on
Erev Yom Kippur is in order for us to be
prepared for fasting on Yom Kippur.
The Shiboley Haleket[8] quotes the
opinion of Rashi, and then adds that by
eating on Erev Yom Kippur, the fast will
be harder on Yom Kippur. Therefore,
eating on Erev Yom Kippur is like fasting
both days.
The Aruch Hashulchan says that out of
his love for us, Hashem told us to eat on
Erev Yom Kippur so that one will have
strength to fast on Yom Kippur.
The Ohr Zeruah says the reason to eat
on Erev Yom Kippur is to show our
bitachon that we will come out on top in
the coming year and Hashem will forgive
our sins. Therefore, we have a meal on
Erev YomKippur.
The Prishah holds we eat on Erev Yom
Kippur to show that the fasting on Yom
Kippur is for a mitzvah and not another
reason. By eating and then stopping, we
indicate that the fast is for the mitzvah of
Yom Kippur.
Another reason given for eating on Erev
Yom Kippur is mentioned by Rabbeinu
Yonah in Sharei Teshuvah. On other
Yom Tovim we have meals in honor of
the mitzvah of the day, because there
is a great reward in rejoicing with the
mitzvos. Since we need to fast on Yom
Kippur, the seudah is celebrated on Erev
Yom Kippur.

Day vs. Night
In halachah, the night comes before
the day. Is there is a mitzvah to eat the
night of Erev Yom Kippur, or it is only a
mitzvah during the day?
The Aruch Hashulchan[reasons that since
the main reason for eating on Erev Yom
Kippur is to prepare us for the fast, this is
only possible during the day. This is the
opinion of other poskim as well.
Women
There is an interesting question in this
topic relates to the fact whether women
are included in the mitzvah to eat on Erev
Yom Kippur.
Generally, women are exempt from any
mitzvah that is time bound. Accordingly,
they would be exempt from this mitzvah
as well. On the other hand, since the
mitzvah to eat on Erev Yom Kippur is
related to fasting on Yom Kippur, and
women are obligated to fast, they should
be required to eat on Erev Yom Kippur.
Most poskim say that since woman are
required to fast, they have to eat on Erev
Yom Kippur. This is similar to Shabbos,
where we say that since they are required
to avoid work on Shabbos, they are
obligated in Kiddush, Havdala, and the
meals of Shabbos.
Some add that fact that eating on Erev
Yom Kippur is to give us the energy to
ask for life on Yom Kippur. Women also
need life; therefore, they are obligated to
eat on Erev Yom Kippur.
Sick Person
Someone who is too ill to fast on Yom
Kippur[24] still has a mitzvah to eat
on Erev Yom Kippur. This is true even
though he has no need to prepare for the
fast.
Some note that according to the reason
for eating on Erev Yom Kippur is to
celebrate Yom Kippur, even one who
does not fast on Yom Kippur also needs
to eat on Erev Yom Kippur.
Child
Although a child will not fast on Yom
Kippur, he should be trained to eat on
Erev Yom Kippur because of chinuch.
Fish / Meat
One should make sure to eat fish at the
first meal on Erev Yom Kippur. Eating
meat at the meal is also recommended.
One should make sure to eat light foods
which can be digested easily so he will
not feel haughty during davening.

Minimum
There is a discussion in the poskim
whether the minimum amount one has to
eat is a kezayis or larger.
Some question those who suck on candy
or chew gum on Erev Yom Kippur, since
there is no shiur in this eating.
Bread
There is a discussion in the poskim if one
has to eat bread on Erev Yom Kippur, or
if any food would suffice.
According to the reason that the eating
on Erev Yom Kippur is to prepare for the
fast, then one should eat bread and other
filling foods. So too, if this is in place of
a meal on Yom Kippur, bread should be
eaten. However, according to some of the
other reasons, bread is not required, and
one can eat anything.
Some mention the custom to have lechem
mishnah at the meal on Erev Yom Kippur,
but this is not the overwhelming custom.
Dairy
One should avoid eating dairy foods
at this meal,as well as eggs and garlic.
These items increase semen and we want
to avoid a discharge on Yom Kippur.
Coffee or tea with milk is no issue.
The More the Better
One should make sure eat to as much
as possible, since the more one eats the
better off he is.The poskim mention that
one should lessen the amount of time he
spends on learning on Erev Yom Kippur
to have more time to eat. Each times one
eats, he fulfills a mitzvah on Erev Yom
Kippur.
One should still make sure not to eat like
a glutton.

Ate So Much
If one ate so much food on Erev Yom
Kippur that he does not feel the pain of
not eating on Yom Kippur, he has still
fulfilled the mitzvah of not eating on
Yom Kippur.
No Need to Eat to Fast
Even if one does not need to eat before
the fast to have an easy fast, he has a
mitzvah to eat on Erev Yom Kippur.
Brachah on Mitzvah
Although we recite brachos when we
perform a mitzvah, no brachah is recited
on the mitzvah of eating on Erev Yom
Kippur, since it is not apparent that he
is doing it for a mitzvah. Others explain
that we are concerned that he might be
able to fast on Yom Kippur, and if so
there was not mitzvah to eat on Erev Yom
Kippur. In such a case, the bracha would
be in vain. In addition, a mitzvah to eat
the entire day has no set period. Others
explain that the eating is connected to the
mitzvah to fast on Yom Kippur, and we
don’t make a bracha on on a fast.
Finally, a brachah only applies if one is
obligated to eat a specific thing, such
as matzah. When the mitzvah is to eat
whatever you please. then no brachah is
recited.
Eating Kreplach
On Erev Yom Kippur, the custom is to
eat meat wrapped in dough (kreplach
in Yiddish). The Yom Tov of Erev Yom
Kippur is a Yom Tov in “hiding”, since
we can do work. Therefore, we eat
hidden meat as well, as we know there is
no joy without meat.
Pills
The poskim permit the taking of pills on
Erev Yom Kippur in order to ease the fast
on Yom Kippur.