Sep 23
i’ll focus on mostly the best practices and personal preferences.. i may even throw in something spiritual, but don’t expect too much
- i used to probably overeat at kol nidre dinner.. just seems like the smart thing to do. this year i ate a solid amount, but really cut myself short when i felt full.. i then downed some extra water – that’s what you probably need the most of
- i used to wean myself off caffeine before the fast, this year i just threw caution to the wind and didnt and it didnt come back to bite me at all.. i would think being a regular coffee drinker, i’d have been playing with fire, but apparently not
- 7AM-10AM: the AM isnt that bad.. feed the kids and then leave for temple, misery loves company, but really it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when everyone around you is also hungry
- 10AM-1:30PM: easy, just do what the rabbi says.. sit, stand, sit, stand, sit if you like for 30 seconds but you’ll be up again then, and so on. the sermon i enjoy so stay awake for, the haftarah can be a tad rough at times..
- 1:30PM-6PM: yea, this is the rough spell. try and keep lightly busy.. nothing too intense, but sitting around can even be hard, the levels of restlessness are pretty high. keep the kids busy and try and get them to get along
the minutes generally go pretty slow here, so try not to clock watch
- 6PM: getting dressed to go back to shul, which you welcome at this point.. it has to mean the end is somewhat near..
- 6:30PM-8PM: these minutes seem like hours and the amidah feels like it takes a day.. some of the prayers where the same verse is repeated over and over feel like the cantor is just having fun with you. actually, the cantor (ours is cantor marty goldstein) is amazing and almost inspirational, the way he carries on, never ever losing strength for the entire day.. i didn’t see him at breakfast, but next time i do, i’m gonna tell him how great a job he does.
- 8PM: bum rush the cookie/juice/water tables. the liquids feel better than the food. that first glass of juice then water are sublime. chase it all with a chocolate chip cookie and it’s amazing how quick you return from feeling lethargic, etc.
- the break fast:
- in general, i like to keep it simple: bagels, cream cheese, orange juice & coffee, followed by good desserts. i’ll even take a slice of a good noodle pudding. i prefer the dairy route.
- some folks serve things like brisket – that doesnt make sense.. who the heck wants heavy meats after a day of not eating? well, unless you’re a wolverine perhaps
- the coffee is nice, it’s generally cool and dark and a cup of decaf hit the spot
- i dont eat fish, so skip the salmon
- fruit is nice, but not “core” to me
- it’s important to not overeat at the break fast.. if you don’t control yourself, you risk 2 straight days of going to bed too full and feeling like a lummox for not exercising any restraint.. we’re not fish here.
- most jews start trying to fast around their bar/bat mitzvah (~13)… i dont recall exactly when i got it right, but probably a few years later if i know myself
- wikihow has a little guide.. it’s more clinical than my guide
