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A common question for families who are new to observing the Appointed Times is how to navigate fasting during Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) with children and pregnant or nursing mothers.
IS FASTING REQUIRED?
Leviticus 16:29-31
And this shall be for you a law forever: In the seventh new moon, on the tenth day of the new moon, you afflict your beings, and do no work, the native or the stranger who sojourns among you...It is a Sabbath rest for you, and you shall afflict your beings-a law forever.
Although not explicitly stated in Scripture, traditionally those observing Yom Kippur fast from sundown to sundown the following day. In Judaism, observers of Yom Kippur eat an earlier meal and begin their fast at sundown, fasting for 25 hours.
It is common in modern Israel for restaurants, places of entertainment, businesses, and even radio to close down for more than 24 hours. There are various rabbinical laws associated with fasting. Males ages 13 and over and females ages 12 and over are expected to fast alongside the adults, while younger children are encouraged to observe partial fasts.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR A BELEIVER IN MESSIAH?
All throughout Scripture we see that the Father is most concerned with the heart posture of His Set-apart People. We see it in the Torah, and we see that Yeshua (Jesus) continually points to the heart posture (the spirit of the law) behind each command (letter of the law).
The point of Yom Kippur is not merely fasting, although this is an integral component. The observance of Yom Kippur is meant to be a time to "afflict your being", look at sins, repent, return, and meditate on our relationship with the Father and His Son, the Messiah.
Believers can and should participate in fasting. However, Biblical fasting is always partnered with prayer. Whenever we see the Father's people fasting in Scripture, they are using this time in prayer.
WHAT IF I AM PREGNANT, BREASTFEEDING, SICK, ELDERLY, ETC?
Again, the point of fasting is to obey the command to "afflict your being" so that your heart posture can be focused on the Father and your relationship with Him. If you find yourself in a challenging circumstance that makes fasting impossible or detrimental to your health, you can go to Him in prayer and ask Him to reveal through His Ruach (Holy Spirit) what you should do during this time.
You may find that consuming a plain veggie soup or bone broth is enough to allow you to fast from your usual food, while still posturing your heart on your relationship with the Father, rather than your belly.
In our home, there is always someone pregnant or nursing and very young children. We leave a large pot of plain veggie soup simmering on the stove so that those who need it can access it at any time.
Rather than setting a firm expectation for their day of Yom Kippur, we encourage the children to be in prayer about their own relationship with their Heavenly Father.
We encourage them that they can choose to fast, but only if they are doing so with a repentant heart posture. We find that children are quite willing to do the Father's commands and experience their own personal convictions on the matter. Another option for young children is to provide simple foods.
***Whatever "afflicting your being" looks like on Yom Kippur to the individual, what we do know is that we are to deny the daily pleasures in exchange for a heart (mind) fully focused on and postured on the Father, our Almighty GOD!***