# Break fast

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First meal eaten after a fast

1657 engraving of rituals to end Yom Kippur. One man makes [kiddush](/source/Kiddush) while another blows the [shofar](/source/Shofar). A child holds the [havdala](/source/Havdala) candle, another holds the besamim, and a third carries in food.

Not to be confused with [Breakfast](/source/Breakfast).

A **break-fast** is a meal eaten after fasting.

In [Judaism](/source/Judaism), a break fast is the meal eaten after [Ta'anit](/source/Ta'anit) (religious days of [fasting](/source/Fasting)), such as [Yom Kippur](/source/Yom_Kippur).[1] During a Jewish fast, no food or drink is consumed, including bread and water. The two major fasts of [Yom Kippur](/source/Yom_Kippur) and [Tisha B'Av](/source/Tisha_B'Av) last about 25 hours, from before sundown on the previous night until after sundown on the day of the fast.[2] Other shorter fasts during the year begin at dawn and end after sunset - this includes four almost universally observed fasts,[3] as well fasts practiced by some such as [Fast of Behav](/source/Fast_of_Behav), [Yom Kippur Katan](/source/Yom_Kippur_Katan), [Shovevim](/source/Shovevim), and fasts declared by a local community.

## Occurrence

A break-fast follows each of the major Jewish fast days of Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, as well as the four minor fast days of [Fast of Gedalia](/source/Fast_of_Gedalia), [Tenth of Tevet](/source/Tenth_of_Tevet), [Fast of Esther](/source/Fast_of_Esther), and [Seventeenth of Tammuz](/source/Seventeenth_of_Tammuz). It also occurs following fasts practiced by some such as [Fast of Behav](/source/Fast_of_Behav), [Yom Kippur Katan](/source/Yom_Kippur_Katan), [Shovevim](/source/Shovevim), and fasts declared by a local community.

## Description

Sometimes the fast is broken with [tea](/source/Tea) and [cake](/source/Cake) before eating a full meal.[4] A drink of [milk](/source/Milk) or [juice](/source/Juice) before the post-fast meal helps the body to readjust and diminishes the urge to eat too much or too rapidly.[5]

Customs for the first food eaten after the Yom Kippur fast differ. [Iranian Jews](/source/Iranian_Jews) often eat a mixture of shredded apples mixed with rose water called "faloodeh seeb." [Polish](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_Poland) and [Russian Jews](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_Russia) will have tea and cake. [Syrian](/source/Syrian_Jews) and [Iraqi Jews](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_Iraq) eat round sesame crackers that look like mini-[bagels](/source/Bagel). [Turkish](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_Turkey) and [Greek Jews](/source/History_of_the_Jews_in_Greece) sip a sweet drink made from [melon](/source/Melon) seeds. Some people start with [herring](/source/Herring) to replace the salt lost during fasting.[6] North African Jews prepare butter cookies known as [ghribi](/source/Ghribi)/[qurabiya](/source/Qurabiya) ("ribo" among Moroccan Jews) for the meal after the Yom Kippur fast.[7][8] Among North American Ashkenazi Jews, the custom is to break the Yom Kippur fast with bagels, cream cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes, and lox or whitefish,[9] often followed by coffee and *smetene kuchen* (trans. "coffee cake").[10]

Orthodox Jews generally do not eat meat or drink wine at the break-fast after Tisha B'Av because the burning of the Temple on the 9th of Av is said to have continued until noon on the 10th of Av.[11] Even when the 9th of Av falls on [Shabbat](/source/Shabbat) and Tisha B'Av is observed on the 10th, wine and meat are customarily still not consumed at the break fast, although in such a case all other [Nine Days](/source/The_Nine_Days) restrictions end with the fast.

## In Islam

In Islam, [fasting](/source/Fasting) mostly occurs during the month of [Ramadan](/source/Ramadan) where Muslims fast for the whole duration of the month for around 30 continuous days. The fasting starts at dawn and ends by sunset where the first meal "break fast" is eaten ([Iftar](/source/Iftar)). During the time of fasting no form of food or drink is consumed.

## In Mormonism

See also: [Fast Sunday](/source/Fast_Sunday)

In [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](/source/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints), members fast for two meals on the first Sunday of every month. A "break the fast" is a common cultural event, especially among [single adult congregations](/source/Single_adult_(LDS_Church)), where a congregation will hold a large potluck or meal at the end of the day.[12][13]

## See also

- [Breakfast](/source/Breakfast)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Giora Shimoni. ["Yom Kippur: Break Fast Meal"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201128111059/https://www.thespruceeats.com/yom-kippur-break-fast-menu-2122523). *About*. Archived from [the original](http://kosherfood.about.com/od/yomkippur/a/yk_break.htm) on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2012-08-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Jewish Holiday and Event scheduling"](http://jik3.kamens.brookline.ma.us/cgi-bin/holidays.cgi).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["OU.org: The fast of the tenth of tevet"](http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/tevet/fast.htm). Retrieved 2008-09-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** katz, Lisa. ["Fasting on Yom Kippur"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090523075316/http://judaism.about.com/od/yomkippu1/a/yk_fast.htm). Archived from [the original](http://judaism.about.com/od/yomkippu1/a/yk_fast.htm) on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2008-08-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Lewis, Chana. ["Tips for an Easier Fast"](http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/431178/jewish/Tips-for-an-Easier-Fast.htm).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Ethel G. Hofman](/source/Ethel_G._Hofman), ["International Yom Kippur break-fast dishes,"](http://www.jewishworldreview.com/ess/ess_btf.php3) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220106165722/https://www.jewishworldreview.com/ess/ess_btf.php3) 2022-01-06 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) *[Jewish World Review](/source/Jewish_World_Review)*, October 11, 2005.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Gil Marks](/source/Gil_Marks)[“The world of Jewish desserts][page=158][date=2000]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Rare Ramadan delights"](https://www.haaretz.com/2012-08-16/ty-article/ramadan-delights-go-down-a-treat/0000017f-e9af-df2c-a1ff-ffff9f060000). *Haaretz.com*. 16 August 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Norene, Gilletz (14 September 2018). ["The Shabbat Table – Good ways to break the fast!"](https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/the-shabbat-table-good-ways-to-break-the-fast/). *The Canadian Jewish News*. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Stroud, Ruth (15 September 2021). ["On Yom Kippur: Fast, Repent, then Eat!"](https://ruthtalksfood.substack.com/p/on-yom-kippur-fast-repent-then-eat). *Ruth Talks Food*. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Simmons, Shraga (2002-06-19). ["Tisha B'Av - the ninth of av"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210211085326/https://www.aish.com/tishaBavOverview/tishaBavOverviewDefault/Tisha_BAv_-_The_Ninth_of_Av.asp). Archived from [the original](http://www.aish.com/tishaBavOverview/tishaBavOverviewDefault/Tisha_BAv_-_The_Ninth_of_Av.asp) on 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2009-09-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Muslims and Mormons Break the Fast Together at the End of Ramadan"](https://www.ldsliving.com/muslims-and-mormons-break-the-fast-together-at-the-end-of-ramadan/s/82810). *LDS Living*. 2016-08-06. Retrieved 2024-03-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Start-the-Fast - Tech Forum"](https://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20388). *tech.churchofjesuschrist.org*. Retrieved 2024-03-11.

v t e High Holidays Rosh Hashanah Shofar Shofar blowing Tashlikh Rosh Hashanah seder Yom Kippur Atonement Repentance Confession Kapparot Kittel Kol Nidre Unetanneh Tokef Avodah Ten Martyrs Yizkor Jonah Ne'ila Break fast Temple service Related Observance by Jewish athletes Ten Days of Repentance Avinu Malkeinu Selichot Fast of Gedalia Shabbat Shuvah

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