[Avodah] Pills on Yom Kippur

[Micha Berger]

Growing up, those who expected caffeine-withdrawal headaches, or just
pain from fasting, would make sure to have suppositories. About 10 years
ago I saw caffeine capsules, time released. Today I was informed about
a tzedaqah selling long-term time-release pain killers as a fundraiser.

But I'm wondering... Why? Why is taking a regular pill when you have a
headache considered akhilah? It's not ra'ui la'akhilah. It's not even an
issue of being flavored and achshevei. I know there is something to this
"don't enjoy the taste" thing because the Shemiras Shabbos keHilkhisah
39:8 recommends wrapping pleasantly flavored pills in a thin paper and
then swalloing.

The only thing I could think of was the Chasam Sofer (Chiddushim on RH 9a)
would not allow taking something that alleviates the inui of fasting. BUT,
that would apply to a time-release pill taking erev YK as well.

So can someone please explain to me the whole pills-on-YK
thing? (Hopefully I'm more alert than during the "Yihyu leRatzon Imrei
Finu" thing and actually will understand the explanation.)

GCT!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Despair is the worst of ailments. No worries
micha at aishdas.org        are justified except: "Why am I so worried?"
http://www.aishdas.org                         - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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