616 - תרטז הקטנים מתי יתחילו להתענות ובו י"א סעיפים

616 - When Minors Begin to Fast - 11 Subsections

1 All the things forbidden on Yom Kippur on account of the mitzvah of affliction alone — they did not decree upon minors.

Therefore, it is permitted for an adult to feed the minor and to give him to drink and to anoint him and to wash him in cold water.

But he should not wash him in hot water, his whole body, even if it was heated while it was still day. For washing in hot water is not forbidden on account of the mitzvah of affliction alone, for behold on all the Shabbosos of the year it is forbidden to wash in hot water, but rather there is in it also the decree of the bathhouse. (Meaning: that the bathhouse attendants are suspected of heating water on Shabbos. And therefore they forbade entering the bathhouse on Shabbos.) As explained in siman 326.

And therefore it is forbidden to do it to a minor with one's hands, just as it is forbidden to feed him with one's hands all the prohibitions of their words. As is written in siman 343^[1].

2 And likewise it is forbidden for an adult to put shoes on a minor — because this is not an affliction for the minor — for he is not so concerned if he does not wear shoes.

But if the minor puts them on by himself — whether one must protest against him — is explained in siman 343^[2]. See there.

3 And now that it is not the practice to wash and anoint the minor every day, and the withholding of washing and anointing on Yom Kippur is not considered an affliction for him at all — one should not wash him or anoint him on Yom Kippur. And such is the custom.

4 And all this is regarding a minor who has not reached the age of training in the mitzvah of affliction. But if he has reached the age of training — it is forbidden to feed him and to give him to drink and to anoint him and to wash him with one's hands. And in the manner that has been explained.

And if he does one of these things by himself — one need not protest against him, except for his father, who must protest against him and train his son in the mitzvos. But his mother is not commanded regarding this.

But nevertheless — it is forbidden for her to place before him to eat — for behold this is as though she were feeding him with her hands.

5 And how is his training?

A healthy minor, nine complete years old (meaning: that nine years were completed for him before Yom Kippur), or ten complete years old even if he is thin and weak of strength — they train him by hours, from the words of the Scribes.

How so?

If he was accustomed to eat at the second hour of the day — they feed him at the third. If he was accustomed to eat at the third — they feed him at the fourth. According to the strength of the child — they add to afflict him by hours.

And the same law applies to a healthy girl — if she is nine complete years old, or ten complete years old even if she is not healthy.

6 One eleven complete years old, whether male or female — they fast and complete the fast from the words of the Scribes — in order to train them in the mitzvos.

And there are those who say: that even girls of eleven complete years and a male child of twelve complete years — need not complete the fast at all, even from the words of the Scribes, but rather they train them by hours, in the manner that has been explained. For since the training is only from the words of the Scribes — the Sages did not wish to be so stringent upon them, that they should fast until night. And it suffices for them with training by hours according to their strength.

And even though the essential ruling is like the first opinion — nevertheless, regarding a youth who is thin and weak of strength and is not strong enough to bear the fast — one may rely upon the latter opinion. And it is permitted to feed him, even though there is no concern of danger if he completes the fast.

7 And in the manner that we train them in the prohibition of eating and drinking, whether by hours or to complete the fast, and as has been explained — so must one train them in the prohibition of washing and anointing, even by the law of the Talmud, and not on account of the custom alone.

8 One thirteen complete years old, and a female twelve complete years old — if they have brought forth two hairs — behold they are like adults for all the mitzvos, and are obligated to complete the fast from the Torah.

But if they have not yet brought forth two hairs — they are still minors and are not obligated to complete the fast from the Torah.

But they are obligated to complete it from the words of the Scribes, according to the first opinion that we explained, which is the essential ruling.

And even regarding a youth who is thin and weak of strength — one should not be lenient to rely upon the latter opinion that we explained. For since thirteen years have passed for him — we are concerned that perhaps he already brought forth two hairs, and they fell out, because it is the way to bring forth two hairs immediately after thirteen years, and if so, behold there is here a doubt that perhaps he is obligated to complete the fast from the Torah.

And even if the thirteen years were completed for him on Yom Kippur itself, in that he was born on Yom Kippur — even so he is obligated to complete the fast, even if he is thin and weak of strength.

Because at the beginning of the entry of the night of Yom Kippur the thirteen years were already completed for him, and there is concern that perhaps he brought forth two hairs on Yom Kippur and they fell out on Yom Kippur. And in every doubt of Torah law we follow the stringent view.

9 In what case is this said? Regarding Yom Kippur, which is from the Torah. But regarding the other fasts, which are only from the words of the Scribes — they need not fast unless it is known that they have brought forth two hairs.

10 A minor who is less than nine complete years old — we do not afflict him on Yom Kippur. And even if the minor wishes to be stringent upon himself — we protest against him, so that he should not come to danger.

11 As to why we are not exacting nowadays that a minor should fast when he is eleven complete years old — because everyone studies nowadays, and the Torah weakens their strength, and therefore they are not considered as healthy with regard to this matter.

And it has already been explained that anyone who is not healthy — need not complete the fast — because one may rely upon the latter opinion that we explained.

And furthermore, that in this time, when weakness has descended upon the world, ordinarily every minor is not considered as healthy with regard to this matter. Unless it is known that he is healthy and strong enough to bear it.

Notes

^[1] "siman 343" — se'if 5. ↑

^[2] "siman 343" — se'if 1. ↑