FASTING Each person has a duty to subdue his physical aspect. The way to achieve this is through fasting. Fasting weakens the four basic elements of which man is composed and which are the source of all his lusts and impulses. This is the way to humble and nullify the coarse materialism of the body, which is the source of folly and darkness, animality and death. The finer side of man is thereby strengthened and his Divine intellect — the form as opposed to the substance — is elevated. The Divine intellect is the soul — “wisdom,” “light” and “life.” The power of forgetfulness is broken and man remembers his mission in the world. The darkness and harsh judgements are nullified and lovingkindness and blessing are drawn into the world. The main effect of the fast is accomplished through the charity one gives while fasting. (It is customary to give the value of the food one would otherwise have eaten to charity). Through fasting the influence of alien ideologies is thwarted and the wisdom of Torah reigns supreme. Fasting is also a help for one’s livelihood (77).
תַּעֲנִית
[א]. צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְהַכְנִיעַ הַחֹמֶר, וְזֶה נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִית. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִית מַחֲלִישִׁין הָאַרְבַּע יְסוֹדוֹת, שֶׁמֵּהֶם בָּאִים כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת, וְנִכְנָע וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַגּוּף וְהַחֹמֶר שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת סִכְלוּת וָחֹשֶׁךְ, בְּחִינַת בְּהֵמָה בְּחִינַת מִיתָה, וְנִתְגַּבֵּר וְנִתְעַלֶּה הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַצּוּרָה שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת אָדָם, בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה וְאוֹר וְחַיִּים, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַשִּׁכְחָה וְזוֹכֶה לְזִכָּרוֹן. וּמְבַטֵּל הַדִּין וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ וּמַמְשִׁיךְ חֲסָדִים בָּעוֹלָם. וְעִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַתַּעֲנִית הוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה, גַּם מַכְנִיעַ חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת כְּנֶגֶד חָכְמוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, גַּם זוֹכֶה לְפַרְנָסָה: (לק"א סי' ל"ז אות ג' ו')
FASTING
Each person has a duty to subdue his physical aspect. The way to achieve this is through fasting. Fasting weakens the four basic elements of which man is composed and which are the source of all his lusts and impulses. This is the way to humble and nullify the coarse materialism of the body, which is the source of folly and darkness, animality and death. The finer side of man is thereby strengthened and his Divine intellect — the form as opposed to the substance — is elevated. The Divine intellect is the soul — “wisdom,” “light” and “life.” The power of forgetfulness is broken and man remembers his mission in the world. The darkness and harsh judgements are nullified and lovingkindness and blessing are drawn into the world. The main effect of the fast is accomplished through the charity one gives while fasting. (It is customary to give the value of the food one would otherwise have eaten to charity). Through fasting the influence of alien ideologies is thwarted and the wisdom of Torah reigns supreme. Fasting is also a help for one’s livelihood (77).