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Article: Food for thought on Yom Kippur
- Article from:
- Washington Jewish Week
- Article date:
- October 2, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Washington Jewish Week Oct 2, 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Capital Schmoozing
Food is at the center of, or is at least a significant part of, most Jewish holidays, including the recently cele- brated Rosh Hashanah. It is similarly an integral part of Yom Kippur, although it is the lack of food the fast - that is a hallmark of that holiday.
The rabbis tell us that fasting is a means of transcending our physical awareness in order to elevate ourselves spiritually. That's a fine notion - in theory.
In reality, though, the fast itself often seems to draw our attention away from the spiritual. The fast sometimes becomes a topic of halachic debate (e.g., "What are the fasting obligations for those with various illnesses?"); a subject for coping ...