[Avodah] When did Ta'anis Esther begin?

[Micha Berger]

The person who gave me a lift into Manhattan this morning raised the following.

While Megillas Ta'anis was observed, one was not allowed to fast on those
days, nor the day before or after. This would mean that one couldn't fast on
most years' Ta'anis Esther.

Would this in turn mean that Ta'anis Esther post-dates Churban Bayis Sheini?

He wanted to argue yes, and that perhaps even Purim's preservation from the
rest of Megillas Ta'anis was why they muted it by requiring one go into Purim
and hear megillah fasting (most years).

I was unhappy with this suggestion because it would imply a need for a Ta'anis
Yehudis on erev Chanukah as well as making Ta'anis Esther pointless in ayaros
hamukafos chomah.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
micha at aishdas.org        your grip on it, it chokes; slacken your grip,
http://www.aishdas.org   and it flies away.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter