More Than Just Weight Loss

Asara Bi'teves is a fast day but as we know fast days are often anything but fast. I don't get the sense that anybody seems to be particularly sad or down on this day [unless dating isn't going well or parnassa is rough]. So a few suggestions to make the day count.

1] Read about it.

2] Pay attention to the meaning of the words when you say slichos. Slichos are meant to create a mood.

3] The Chief Rabbinate made this day Yom Hashoah so reading and thinking about the holocaust is worthwhile [as it always is].

4] Fast days are for teshuva. I can imagine we all have things to fix.

5] Tzedaka. כי קרובה ישועתי לבוא וצדקתי להגלות. The redemption will be in the merit of tzedaka.

6] Think about the Beis Hamikdash and what we are missing [if you don't know you can learn about it].

7] Listen to shiurim about the day [you can listen on kol halashon.com and I assume on yutorah.org as well].

8] When you break the fast try to have kavana when you make a bracha on the food.

The fast is a means to an end. The end is returning to Hashem.

Love, blessings and an easy, fast, meaningful fast.

Thanks to A.R.L. who inspired this post.