Message for Yom Kippur

[MassuhDGoodName]

Re:  "...Gd willing next year muck will try to fast. Right muck ? "

It's really much easier than to fast than you think Muck!

Just log on to the forum and read a few posts.

After a few minutes you'll feel sick to your stomach, and then you won't feel like eating!     

[Muck DeFuslims]

Muman meant no harm and said what he said out of love to a fellow Jew. Gd willing next year muck will try to fast. Right muck?

Maybe. Honestly, probably not. I don't know.

Thanks to all for the concern you've displayed, I appreciate you guys wanting me to be a better Jew. Also, a special thanks to Lisa for her kind words (and a belated happy birthday wish).

A little bit about me; I'm no longer a spring chicken. I'm the same age as Chaim. Grew up in Brooklyn and attended Hebrew school after going to public school during the day. My parents (both deceased) were secular but they instilled a pride of being a Jew in me. Or maybe it's just something that's innate. Perhaps, it's a combination. Either way, I've always felt Jewish, if you know what I mean. I used to love going to my mom's parent's home for seders. To this day I can vividly remember my grandfather's shaking hand always spilling Manishevitz concord grape wine all over my grandmother's immaculately white table cloth as he recited the plagues. I can't imagine not having a Jewish upbringing. It's defined me as a person and shaped my life. I love Jewish culture. The food, the humor, the doting Jewish mother, even the crazy guilt and tears for the horrors our people have endured.

As a youngster I attended an orthodox synagogue on the high holidays. Sometimes on Shabbat I'd make an appearance if it was necessary to form a minyan. Went through the whole Bar Mitzvah thing. Always fasted on Yom Kippur. But I never kept kosher or observed Shabbat.

Over the years I've drifted further away from even these nominal efforts to be a good Torah Jew.

These days, I'm a semi-professional gambler residing in Reno, Nevada. It's not exactly a life that's conducive to me changing my ways and becoming a better Jew, even if I wanted to.

I don't know that in my heart of hearts I want to change. If I was sure that G-d existed I'd almost certainly feel differently. But I'm not sure. I'd like to believe, but I lack the absolute faith others on this forum have. I lean towards there being a supreme being or some intelligence behind the our existence, but I'm just not sure. I guess that makes me an agnostic.

I know it seems weird to the observant members of this forum that a secular agnostic Jew could be a proud Jew and extremely pro-Israel. Admittedly, it's somewhat anomalous, but there's probably other Jews out there like me, maybe even some on this forum.

Anyways, that's a little bit about who I am and I hope this helps you understand where I'm coming from. I didn't mean to cause a ruckus or upset anyone by professing that I wasn't going to fast, and again, I thank you all for your concern.

[serbian army]

What is forbidden to eat while fasting ?

[Lisa]

@serbian army -- By definition, fasting means no eating or drinking.  Jews are commaned to fast and "afflict themselves" on Yom Kippur, which is our Day of Atonement.  We pray to G-d to forgive our sins, and to inscribe us in the book of life for the coming year.

@Muck -- Thank you for the kind words.  You're always welcome on JTF

[serbian army]

@serbian army -- By definition, fasting means no eating or drinking.  Jews are commaned to fast and "afflict themselves" on Yom Kippur, which is our Day of Atonement.  We pray to G-d to forgive our sins, and to inscribe us in the book of life for the coming year.

@Muck -- Thank you for the kind words.  You're always welcome on JTF

Most strict fasting in our religion is to be left with some water and bread to eat.

[Lisa]

The Yom Kippur fast for Jews is for 25 hours.  No eating or drinking allowed. 

[IsraeliGovtAreKapos]

The Yom Kippur fast for Jews is for 25 hours.  No eating or drinking allowed. 

Yes, those too. But not only that.

[muman613]

The Yom Kippur fast for Jews is for 25 hours.  No eating or drinking allowed. 

Yes, those too. But only that.

There are five prohibitions on Yom Kippur:

1) No eating or Drinking
2) No applying oils or lotions
3) No washing/bathing for pleasure
4) No marital relations
5) No leather shoes.

On the prohibition on bathing : http://www.vbm-torah.org/roshandyk/yk61mt.htm

http://www.koltorah.org/Volume_16/Haazinu,_Yom_Kippur,_Sukkot.html

Not for Pleasure Alone
by Ariel Herzog

It is well known that there are five activities which one is prohibited to perform on Yom Kippur: eating and drinking, washing, putting on oils, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in marital relations. It is a little less well known that there is a Machloket whether the nature of these prohibitions is a Torah one (Deoraita) or a Rabbinic one (DeRabanan). According to the Rambam (Hilchot Shvitat Asor 1:5), the prohibition to engage in all of these activities is Deoraita, but Tosafot (Yoma 77a s.v. Detnan) and the Rosh (Yoma 8:1) believe these prohibitions are DeRabanan. The root of this Machloket is based on the Gemara that says that we extract these prohibitions (except eating, which is directly learned elsewhere) from the Pasuk (Vayikra 16:31), "Shabbat Shabbaton," "A Shabbat of complete rest." The Torah could have simply stated that Yom Kippur was a "Shabbat," and that would have been adequate. Now that the Torah adds in the word "Shabbaton," it is only coming to teach us something new, namely, the additional prohibitions. This is why the Rambam rules that these are Assur MiDeoraita. According to Tosafot and the Rosh, the Pasuk is only an indirect source (an Asmachta) used to support the words of the Rabbis.

[IsraeliGovtAreKapos]

The Yom Kippur fast for Jews is for 25 hours.  No eating or drinking allowed. 

Yes, those too. But only that.

There are five prohibitions on Yom Kippur:

1) No eating or Drinking
2) No applying oils or lotions
3) No washing/bathing for pleasure
4) No marital relations
5) No leather shoes.

On the prohibition on bathing : http://www.vbm-torah.org/roshandyk/yk61mt.htm

http://www.koltorah.org/Volume_16/Haazinu,_Yom_Kippur,_Sukkot.html

Not for Pleasure Alone
by Ariel Herzog

It is well known that there are five activities which one is prohibited to perform on Yom Kippur: eating and drinking, washing, putting on oils, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in marital relations. It is a little less well known that there is a Machloket whether the nature of these prohibitions is a Torah one (Deoraita) or a Rabbinic one (DeRabanan). According to the Rambam (Hilchot Shvitat Asor 1:5), the prohibition to engage in all of these activities is Deoraita, but Tosafot (Yoma 77a s.v. Detnan) and the Rosh (Yoma 8:1) believe these prohibitions are DeRabanan. The root of this Machloket is based on the Gemara that says that we extract these prohibitions (except eating, which is directly learned elsewhere) from the Pasuk (Vayikra 16:31), "Shabbat Shabbaton," "A Shabbat of complete rest." The Torah could have simply stated that Yom Kippur was a "Shabbat," and that would have been adequate. Now that the Torah adds in the word "Shabbaton," it is only coming to teach us something new, namely, the additional prohibitions. This is why the Rambam rules that these are Assur MiDeoraita. According to Tosafot and the Rosh, the Pasuk is only an indirect source (an Asmachta) used to support the words of the Rabbis.

All Halachot of Shabbat apply to Yom Kippur as well. Btw, I made a typo, I missed the "not".

[MassuhDGoodName]

Re:  "These days, I'm a semi-professional gambler residing in Reno, Nevada. It's not exactly a life that's conducive to me changing my ways and becoming a better Jew, even if I wanted to.
I don't know that in my heart of hearts I want to change. If I was sure that G-d existed I'd almost certainly feel differently. But I'm not sure. I'd like to believe, but I lack the absolute faith others on this forum have. "

Muck,

You will soon have all the proof you need that G-d indeed exists.

Tonite, Meg Tilly is going to knock on your hotel room door.

If you are thinking, "But I'm not staying in a hotel in Reno", then don't worry, because by tonite you will have a hotel room in Reno and shortly after midnite Meg Tilly is going to come knock on your door.

When she does, she is going to ask you  "Well....Hel-lo!"...."Do you 'need' me to "do" anything for you?"

You will reply:  "Yes!" ... "Here is an envelope containing $20,000 cash in one dollar bills."

"I need you to take this envelope and have it delivered to MassuhDGoodName c/o JTF Forum."