Prayer and Blessings
Is It Permissible to Recite Psalms on a Fast Day?
Question
Hello, with respect to the rabbi, I wanted to ask whether it is permissible to recite Psalms on a fast day? (10 Tevet) Since I was told that the purpose of the fast is to afflict oneself and mourn, and the Psalms are, after all, uplifting to a person's soul. What is the proper thing to do, and does this apply to all fasts? With blessings, Bat Chen
Answer
Greetings and blessings
The fast is not for mourning, but rather in order to awaken repentance, and a very appropriate time for reciting Psalms is on the fast days.
Only on Tisha B'Av should Psalms not be recited.
With blessings - Benjamin Shmueli
