FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT A MITZVAH TO EAT

We use this term for eating that is required by Jewish law, in order to protect life and health. We often use this phrasing in connection to Jewish fast days, with the following language:

When fasting is safe, it is a mitzvah to fast. When fasting is unsafe, it is a mitzvah to eat.

Many of us are familiar with the term "accommodations", which refers to supports or modifications that allow participation and inclusion in work, school or other activities in a manner that meets a person's individual needs.

Accommodations are also part of Jewish practice. For example, while many people are safely able to fast on Yom Kippur, for others fasting is unsafe. Jewish law recognizes that fasting is not safe for everyone, providing the accommodation to eat on Yom Kippur when needed to protect life and health.

For those who need this accommodation, eating on Yom Kippur is a way to participate in the observance of Yom Kippur, supported by Jewish law and tradition. When fasting is unsafe, it is a mitzvah to eat.

In 2025, we surveyed Jews who are unable to safely fast.

Eighty-five percent have felt shame around being unable to safely fast.

Eighty-six percent have felt alone on fast days.

Many were not safely observing fast days by eating.

In fact, seventy percent had still tried to fast.

Please read more in our next Frequently Asked Question.

In a 2023 survey, we asked exactly that question: "Knowing that you weren't able to safely fast, why did you do so anyway?" Here are some of the answers we received:

“I felt so alone in eating.”

“Fasting has been so ingrained in growing up Jewish that it felt wrong not to.”

“I felt so guilty and ashamed, like I was failing by honoring my body’s medical needs.”

“I felt like my observance wasn’t enough without fasting.”

When we began our work in November 2021, our original plan was to support Jews unable to safely fast.

It took only a few months to wonder if the problem we were trying to solve - that on fast days, many of these Jews felt shame, spent the day alone, or even tried to fast to feel more connected to community - wasn’t really about fasting.

Rather, there was a broader tension between needing accommodations to safely observe Jewish ritual and feeling like a full participant in Jewish practice and community.

We tested our hypothesis on Pesach in 2022, creating a prayer supporting Jews unable to safely abstain from eating chametz (leavened products). The language of the prayer provided ways to connect with and participate Jewishly on Pesach through the life-saving action of eating chametz. Within hours, that content reached thousands of people on social media.

At that point, we understood that we had uncovered an immense need. So, we expanded our work.

While our work does extend to the rest of the Jewish calendar, Jewish fast days remain an area of focus. In addition, much of the Jewish calendar centers around food, so this name has been meaningful in other ways. Lastly, our name is a statement that safe observance is part of Jewish law, tradition, and practice.

Even very small subsets of the Jewish community deserve to have resources and support.

However, we believe that a significant portion of the Jewish population needs some kind of ritual accommodation at any given time.

Whether through disability, physical and/or mental health conditions, neurodiversity, trauma, aging, and more, most of us will use at least one ritual accommodation at some point in our lives. A Mitzvah to Eat is here to support all of us.

We are honored that our resources have used by synagogues and individuals from diverse Jewish backgrounds and movements. Additionally, our website has been seen by thousands of unique visitors across 67 countries.

Unfortunately, we are not able to make healthcare referrals or facilitate rabbinic relationships of that nature.

We cannot and do not provide guidance for anyone’s specific circumstances. We do offer general guidance, such as these answers to Frequently asking Questions for Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av. We also offer online programming about how to navigate these kinds of decisions. These resources may empower you to observe in ways that are safe for you.

For personalized guidance about what is safe for you, you might consider whether a conversation with a healthcare professional is right for you. Once you have spoken to a healthcare professional, some people choose to speak with a rabbi as well.

In selecting to consult rabbis and halakhic (Jewish law) advisors, we recommend that you choose someone who will use thoughtful listening techniques, encourage consultations with healthcare professionals, and create a plan that is safe for the person with whom they are communicating. If you ever receive advice that feels unsafe, please seek out additional guidance and support.