[Avodah] Q. Is one permitted to fast on Shabbos Rosh Hashanah?

[Prof. L. Levine]

>From today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis


A. One is not permitted to fast on Rosh Hashanah because Rosh Hashanah is a Yom Tov. For this reason, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 597:1) rules that one must eat, drink and rejoice on Rosh Hashanah. Nonetheless, unlike other Yomim Tovim, one should not overindulge, lest the solemn nature of the day will be obscured. However, there were Rishonim who held that it is permissible to fast during the daytime because Rosh Hashanah is a day of teshuva. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zt"l said that his great-grandfather, the Beis HaLevi, would fast both days. In fact, there were those who would fast even on Shabbos Rosh Hashanah because they considered the importance of teshuva on this day to be on the level of pikuach nefesh (life threatening), which overrides the requirement to eat a Shabbos seuda. Although in practice we follow the Shulchan Aruch and do not fast on Rosh Hashanah, the Mishnah Berurah (584:5) makes a distinction between Rosh Hashanah which falls on Shabbos, and Rosh Hashanah which falls on a weekday, as follows: When Rosh Hashanah falls on a weekday, we are permitted to extend the davening into the afternoon, while if Rosh Hashanah is on Shabbos, we are required to finish davening before chatzos (halachic midday) so as not to fast past the morning. As such, if one expects their shul to finish davening on Shabbos after chatzos, it is best to drink a tea or coffee in the morning before going to shul, to avoid fasting inappropriately on Shabbos.

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