Ta’anit Esther: Why We Fast on the Eve of Purim and Why It Still Matters

Every year, on the day before the holiday of Purim, the fast of Ta’anit Esther is observed.

The Source of the Fast

Many assume that this fast commemorates the fast described in the Book of Esther, when Esther told Mordechai, “Go, gather all the Jews who are in Shushan, and do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day; I and my maidens will also fast the same way” (Esther 4:16).

However, that three day fast did not take place on the 13th of Adar. It occurred in the month of Nisan, a full year before the miracle of Purim, as Esther prepared to approach Achashverosh and plead for the annulment of Haman’s decree.

This raises a question. If that fast did not take place on the eve of Purim, what is the source of the fast we observe today?

The Forgotten Fast of the 13th of Adar

In addition to the fast mentioned explicitly in the Megillah, there was another fast observed by the Jewish people that is not recorded in the text itself. This fast took place on the 13th of Adar, the very day on which Haman’s decree was meant to be carried out.

Before going out to battle against those who sought their lives, the Jewish people fasted and prayed. This followed an established Jewish tradition. Whenever Israel went out to war, they would declare a fast beforehand and beseech Hashem to cause their enemies to fall before them. While other nations would spend the day sharpening weapons, eating, and drinking, the Jewish people would turn inward, lowering themselves physically and lifting their eyes toward Heaven.

Trust Beyond Strength

The essence of this fast is a declaration of faith. We do not rely on our own strength, power, or military might. Instead, we place our trust in Hashem, who fights our battles and delivers salvation.

By fasting, we deliberately weaken the body in order to emphasize that victory does not stem from physical force. Beginning a battle in a state of physical weakness prevents a person from later saying, “My strength and the might of my own hand brought me this success.” Rather, it reinforces humility, prayer, and reliance on Divine mercy. When the eyes are lifted upward, Heaven responds with compassion and grants strength from above.

That generation acted in precisely this way. When the Jews gathered to strike those who sought their destruction, they fasted. In memory of that fast, Ta’anit Esther was established, to remind us that the Creator hears the prayers of every person in times of distress. When Israel fasts and returns to Him wholeheartedly, He acts for them just as He did in the days of Mordechai and Esther.

As the verse states, it was “the day on which the enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower them, but it was turned around, and the Jews gained the upper hand over those who hated them” (Esther 9).

Why It Is Called Ta’anit Esther

The fast observed today commemorates that pre battle fast of the 13th of Adar. It is not directly connected to the fast Queen Esther commanded. Nevertheless, out of respect for Esther’s courage and self sacrifice, the fast bears her name.

Importantly, this is not a fast of mourning. On the contrary, it is a fast of elevation, awakening, and inner strengthening.

Laws of Ta’anit Esther

• The fast begins at dawn and ends at nightfall. Exact times vary by location.

• Eating and drinking are prohibited. Washing, anointing, and wearing leather shoes are permitted.

• Because this is not one of the primary fasts, pregnant and nursing women are exempt. Anyone who is somewhat ill is also exempt. A generally healthy person who develops a headache and finds fasting difficult may eat, but should ideally make up the fast on another day. In all cases, a rabbi should be consulted.

• If the 13th of Adar falls on Shabbat, the fast is not observed on that day, out of respect for Shabbat. It is also not held on Friday, so as not to interfere with Shabbat preparations. Instead, the fast is moved to Thursday, the 11th of Adar.

• The custom is to continue fasting until after the reading of the Megillah, except in walled cities, where the Megillah is read on the night of the 15th of Adar.

• At Mincha, the paragraph Aneinu is added in the silent Amidah within the blessing of Shma Koleinu. The chazzan adds Aneinu as a separate blessing between Geulah and Refuah in both Shacharit and Mincha.

• As on other public fast days, the Torah reading Vayechal Moshe is read at both Shacharit and Mincha.

• If a brit milah takes place on Ta’anit Esther, the seudat mitzvah is delayed until the evening. The father, mother, and sandek may eat in the afternoon, since the day is considered a personal Yom Tov for them.

• Avinu Malkeinu is recited only at Shacharit, not at Mincha, except when the fast is moved to Thursday, in which case it is said at Mincha as well.

A Brief Conclusion

Ta’anit Esther reminds us that true strength is born from humility, prayer, and trust in Hashem. On the eve of Purim, before joy erupts and celebration begins, we pause to remember that salvation does not emerge from force, but from faith. By emptying ourselves physically, we make space for something far greater to enter.