[Avodah] 25 Hour Fast

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Jul 16, 2013 at 10:19:38AM -0400, cantorwolberg at cox.net wrote:
: Given the heat wave and severe humidity, would 
: it be considered advisable to drink some water to
: avoid dehydration. We are talking about "for health"
: issues.

CYLOR *in advance* about which health issues qualify.

To clue people from other areas in, or just to help people who might
be reading this exchange off the Google archive, today's forecast here
in the NY area was for 99 degF with humidity etc conspiring to make it
feel well into the three digits. This heat wave is at least as far out
as our chevrah in Chicago, and farther north than the cantor's home.
Thank G-d, things aren't turning out as bad as forecast -- we are now
expecting a high of "only" 94 or so.

I commented on Areivim about a brillianly worded email by one LOR that I
received yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, I deleted the thing before
thinking it might be sharable.

The letter focused on the obligation to remained in airconditioned rooms
during the taanis. The rabbi noted that if one was feeling the effects
of dehydration, they would be obligated to drink. But he phrased it as
a situation to avoid, and thus obligating the airconditioning.

I considered this a brilliant way to balance being sure that people knew
to drink as their health requires, but still not giving a message that
plays down the importance of keeping 9 beAv.

-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Zion will be redeemed through justice,
micha at aishdas.org        and her returnees, through righteousness.
http://www.aishdas.org
Fax: (270) 514-1507