Fast of Esther
fast in Judaism
The Fast of Esther (Hebrew: תַּעֲנִית אֶסְתֵּר, romanized: Ta'anit Ester) is a fast in Judaism observed on the eve of Purim. Traditionally, it is said to commemorate the communal fast held by the Jewish people throughout the Achaemenid Empire on the 13th day of Adar. According to the Book of Esther, this was the date scheduled for the battle between the Jews and their antagonists, and the fast followed a tradition where Jewish communities would fast during wartime to arouse "mercy from God".
Unlike other fasts, the Fast of Esther is a Jewish custom. It is not mentioned in the Talmud, but it is mentioned in the Midrash and other later sources from the days of the Geonim. Therefore, it is considered less severe than the other fasts.
Origins
It is a common misconception that this fast dates back to Esther's time. The book of Esther 9:31 recounts, "They had established for themselves and their descendants the matters of the fasts and their cry", but according to most commentators this refers instead to the fasts mentioned in the book of Zechariah 8:19.
The 13th of Adar, on which the fast falls, was first observed as Nicanor Day (יום נקנור). The holiday celebrated the defeat of Seleucid general Nicanor in the Maccabean Revolt but ceased to be observed by the Geonic period.
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