Why We Fast

Yom Kippur begins tomorrow evening.

A story to direct our hearts inward and our hands outward. It is a story about Reb Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, the successor to the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the eighteenth-century Hasidic movement.

A wealthy merchant once visited Reb Dov Ber and joined the rebbe and his disciples for a meal.

The Maggid started asking questions of their guest. The rebbe asked, “Given your wealth and piety, what does a man such as yourself usually eat?” The man was humbled and flattered that the great rebbe took note not only of his wealth but his piety. He believed he had worked hard to achieve both.

“My dear Rebbe,” the man said with a mixture of pride and humility. “I can afford the finest foods, but I fear these would tempt me. I therefore make do with the diet of the poor. I eat only a slice of bread and pinch of salt.”

“How dare you desecrate God’s name in this way. How dare you defame the Creator in this manner!” the Maggid screamed. “You have been blessed with wealth and power, and yet you deny the legitimate pleasures that come along with it. This is an insult to the God who gave you these things. From now on you are instructed to eat meat and drink wine every day!”

The visitor was shocked. The Maggid’s disciples were even more surprised and perplexed. As soon as the wealthy merchant left, the students begged their rebbe to explain why he shouted at this pious man. It seemed obvious to them that the man was doing his best to avoid the temptations that come with wealth and yet the Maggid rebuked him.

“Perhaps that is the case,” the Maggid responded. “But I am certain about this. If this wealthy merchant grows accustomed to eating meat and drinking wine at every meal, he will certainly come to realize that the poor need to eat at least bread and salt. But if such a wealthy man can make do with bread and salt, then he will come to think that the poor can survive on water and stones.”

On Yom Kippur we choose to fast. We choose not to eat. For far too many this is not a choice, but instead a matter of circumstance.

Let our choice to look away from the bountiful meals we so often enjoy, turn our hearts inward causing us to think about how we can do better and our hands outward towards those who cannot afford even a morsel of bread.

Based on the telling by Rabbi Rami Shapiro in Hasidic Tales: Annotated & Explained.