More About Fasting on Rosh Hashana

Q. In the shul where I daven on Rosh Hashanah, there is no break, and the tefillos continue until after chatzos (midday). Would it be preferable to drink tea or coffee in the morning before davening so that I won’t be fasting past chatzos?

A. At first glance, this would appear to be commendable since it is permissible to drink coffee or tea before davening. (Some poskim even permit adding a minimal amount of sugar, just enough to make it palatable.) By drinking in the morning, one will not be fasting even if the tefillah extends past chatzos. However, Rav Hutner, zt”l (Sefer Pachad Yitzchok Rosh Hashanah 22, cited by Teshuvos V’hanhagos 2:274), writes that one should not do this. He explains that it is commendable to fast for part of the day on Rosh Hashanah to inspire one to do teshuva. However, once one drinks in the morning, subsequent abstention is no longer considered fasting. Furthermore, since not eating can no longer be considered a fast, extending the davening (with the result of not eating even after one is hungry) would not be justifiable.

Teshuvos V’hanhagos (2:274) concludes that if one will have difficulty getting through the long davening without having the morning tea or a coffee, they should drink before davening. However, if it will not be a hardship, it is better not to do so.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.