Break fast

A break-fast is a meal eaten after fasting.

1657 engraving of rituals to end Yom

Kippur. One man makes kiddush while
another blows the shofar. A child
holds the havdala candle, another
holds the besamim, and a third
carries in food.

In Judaism, a break fast is the meal eaten after Ta'anit (religious days of fasting), such as Yom
Kippur.[1] During a Jewish fast, no food or drink is consumed, including bread and water. The two
major fasts of Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av last about 25 hours, from before sundown on the previous
night until after sundown on the day of the fast.[2] Other shorter fasts during the year begin at dawn
and end after sunset - this includes four almost universally observed fasts,[3] as well fasts practiced
by some such as Fast of Behav, Yom Kippur Katan, Shovevim, and fasts declared by a local
community.

Occurrence

A break-fast follows each of the major Jewish fast days of Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, as well as the
four minor fast days of Fast of Gedalia, Tenth of Tevet, Fast of Esther, and Seventeenth of Tammuz.
It also occurs following fasts practiced by some such as Fast of Behav, Yom Kippur Katan,
Shovevim, and fasts declared by a local community.
Description

Sometimes the fast is broken with tea and cake before eating a full meal.[4] A drink of milk or juice
before the post-fast meal helps the body to readjust and diminishes the urge to eat too much or too
rapidly.[5]

Customs for the first food eaten after the Yom Kippur fast differ. Iranian Jews often eat a mixture of
shredded apples mixed with rose water called "faloodeh seeb." Polish and Russian Jews will have
tea and cake. Syrian and Iraqi Jews eat round sesame crackers that look like mini-bagels. Turkish
and Greek Jews sip a sweet drink made from melon seeds. Some people start with herring to
replace the salt lost during fasting.[6] North African Jews prepare butter cookies known as
ghribi/qurabiya ("ribo" among Moroccan Jews) for the meal after the Yom Kippur fast.[7] [8] Among
North American Ashkenazi Jews, the custom is to break the Yom Kippur fast with bagels, cream
cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes, and lox or whitefish,[9] often followed by coffee and smetene
kuchen (trans. "coffee cake").[10]

Orthodox Jews generally do not eat meat or drink wine at the break-fast after Tisha B'Av because
the burning of the Temple on the 9th of Av is said to have continued until noon on the 10th of Av.[11]
Even when the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat and Tisha B'Av is observed on the 10th, wine and meat are
customarily still not consumed at the break fast, although in such a case all other Nine Days
restrictions end with the fast.

In Islam

In Islam, fasting mostly occurs during the month of Ramadan where Muslims fast for the whole
duration of the month for around 30 continuous days. The fasting starts at dawn and ends by
sunset where the first meal "break fast" is eaten. During the time of fasting no form of food or drink
is consumed.

In Mormonism

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members fast for two meals on the first Sunday
of every month. A "break the fast" is a common cultural event, especially among single adult
congregations, where a congregation will hold a large potluck or meal at the end of the day.[12][13]
See also

Iftar

Breakfast

References

1. Giora Shimoni. "Yom Kippur: Break Fast Meal" (https://web.archive.org/web/20201128111059/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/yom-kippur-break-fast-menu-2122523) . About. Archived
from the original (http://kosherfood.about.com/od/yomkippur/a/yk_break.htm) on 2020-11-
28. Retrieved 2012-08-29.

2. "Jewish Holiday and Event scheduling" (http://jik3.kamens.brookline.ma.us/cgi-bin/holidays.cg

i) .

3. "OU.org: The fast of the tenth of tevet" (http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/tevet/fast.ht

m) . Retrieved 2008-09-22.

4. katz, Lisa. "Fasting on Yom Kippur" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090523075316/http://judai

sm.about.com/od/yomkippu1/a/yk_fast.htm) . Archived from the original (http://judaism.abo
ut.com/od/yomkippu1/a/yk_fast.htm) on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2008-08-11.

5. Lewis, Chana. "Tips for an Easier Fast" (http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/

aid/431178/jewish/Tips-for-an-Easier-Fast.htm) .

6. Ethel G. Hofman, "International Yom Kippur break-fast dishes," (http://www.jewishworldreview.c

om/ess/ess_btf.php3) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220106165722/https://ww
w.jewishworldreview.com/ess/ess_btf.php3) 2022-01-06 at the Wayback Machine Jewish
World Review, October 11, 2005.

7. Gil Marks[“The world of Jewish desserts][page=158][date=2000]

8. "Rare Ramadan delights" (http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/pleasure-hunting/rare-ramadan-d

elights.premium-1.458801) . Haaretz.com. 16 August 2012.

9. Norene, Gilletz (14 September 2018). "The Shabbat Table – Good ways to break the fast!" (http
s://thecjn.ca/perspectives/the-shabbat-table-good-ways-to-break-the-fast/) . The Canadian
Jewish News. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

10. Stroud, Ruth (15 September 2021). "On Yom Kippur: Fast, Repent, then Eat!" (https://ruthtalksfo
od.substack.com/p/on-yom-kippur-fast-repent-then-eat) . Ruth Talks Food. Retrieved 5 April
2022.
11. Simmons, Shraga (2002-06-19). "Tisha B'Av - the ninth of av" (https://web.archive.org/web/202
10211085326/https://www.aish.com/tishaBavOverview/tishaBavOverviewDefault/Tisha_BAv_-
_The_Ninth_of_Av.asp) . Archived from the original (http://www.aish.com/tishaBavOverview/ti
shaBavOverviewDefault/Tisha_BAv_-_The_Ninth_of_Av.asp) on 2021-02-11. Retrieved
2009-09-30.

12. "Muslims and Mormons Break the Fast Together at the End of Ramadan" (https://www.ldslivin
g.com/muslims-and-mormons-break-the-fast-together-at-the-end-of-ramadan/s/82810) . LDS
Living. 2016-08-06. Retrieved 2024-03-11.

13. "Start-the-Fast - Tech Forum" (https://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=203

88) . tech.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.