Pregnancy and fasting on Tisha b’Av Rabbanit Rachel Weinstein

B’shaa Tova!

The general rule is that we are much more lenient regarding the “small” fasts but pregnant women are obligated to fast on Yom Kippur and Tisha b’Av (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 554:5, 617:1). The Rama adds that although pregnant women are not obligated to complete the small fasts, the custom is to be machmir and fast. The Mishna Brura adds that if a pregnant woman experiences even slight weakness on the small fasts that they should not complete the fast. (Mishna Brura 550:3).

As to the difference between Tisha b’Av and Yom Kippur regarding the obligation to fast – We are more stringent regarding Yom Kippur being that it is מדאורייתא and we are more lenient regarding Tisha b’Av.

 All of the above is in the case of a pregnancy without high risk or complications.

This year the laws of Tisha b’Av differ slightly since Tisha b’Av is נדחה, postponed. When Tisha b’Av is postponed we are more lenient in regard to the fast. Rav Ovadya in Yechave Daat (3:40, Yabia Omer Orach Chayim 5:40) states that when Tisha b’Av is נדחה ,  pregnant women who follow the psak pf the Shulchan Aruch don’t need to fast at all, while the Shvut Yaakov (3:37) and Rav Shlomo Zalman (Halichot Shlomo 16:1) say that pregnant women should try to fast but may break their fast even if they feel slightly unwell “מיחוש קצת”.

Practically this means that if you are healthy and strong and have no additional medical issue that would make fasting a problem, it seems that you should try to fast. If during the fast you feel unwell or have contractions you should break your fast.