Rav Hershel Schachter Calls for Fast Day This Monday, Yom Kippur Katan

November 10, 2023 7:17 am

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Rav Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva University, has called for a Taanis this coming Monday, in honor of Yom Kippur Katan.

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A letter has been circulating with Rav Schachter’s header and signature, and it has been confirmed by sources with personal knowledge. At the Rabbi’s behest, YU has been reciting Avinu Malkeinu every day since the Shmini Atzeres attack, due to the current “eis tzarah” (dangerous situation) faced by Klal Yisrael, especially in Eretz Yisrael.

The letter was written in both Hebrew and English. The English portion of the text reads:

The Rambam writes that when the Jewish people are in a difficult and dangerous situation, they should call out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and observe a public fast day. The Gemarah mentions the importance of offering Korbanos in these circumstances as well. Today, unfortunately, we are unable to offer Korbanos, but our fasting stands in the place of those offerings, as it is as if we are offering a part of ourselves to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Being that now is a very difficult time for the Jewish people, our community should take upon themselves to fast this Monday, Yom Kippur Katan, Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev. Even if one is unable to fast the entire day on Monday, they should consider fasting until after chatzos on Monday. If one intends to fast this Monday, they must accept the fast day upon themselves at the end of the Minchah Shmone Esreh on Sunday afternoon.

If there are ten men present at a Mincha minyan on Monday afternoon who are fasting, they should read from a Sefer Torah and the extra insertions for a fast day should be recited in the Shmone Esreh and Chazaras Hashatz.

We hope that this will not be necessary, as we anticipate a yeshua from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.