How to Observe the Fast of the Firstborn for Passover
The fast of the firstborn in Judaism usually occurs the day before Passover. It commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery thanks to the Plague of the Firstborn as described in the Book of Exodus. This is why only the firstborn are required to fast. The following steps will show how to observe the fast of the firstborn for Passover.
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Instructions
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Meet the qualifications for fasting. This would include the halakhic requirements for adulthood, which is 12 years for females, 13 years for males and mental sanity.
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Have additional qualifications as required by the relevant authority. Debate exists on the subject of the requirement of females to fast. All authorities agree that the mother's firstborn and the firstborn of both parents are required to fast. However, another dispute centers around the firstborn of only the father.
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Break the fast only under certain circumstances. The fast is commonly broken at a siyum, which celebrates a completion of study of the Talmud. An individual also may break the fast if it would cause undue suffering or affect his ability to participate in the Passover Seder meal.
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Fast for the correct duration. Most Jewish fasts are continued until 40 minutes after sunset according to most authorities but fasts that occur just before a holiday present a problem as one normally may not enter a festival in a state of fasting. Authorities are divided as to whether the fast of the firstborn should be broken before sundown or after nightfall.
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Perform the fast on the previous Thursday when the day before Passover falls on Shabbat, according to most authorities, as fasting on Shabbat is generally forbidden.
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