The Shulchan Aruch brings the minhag to fast on the Monday, Thursday, and Monday following Pesach (and Sukkos). The Mishnah Brurah cites the Mogen Avrohom that we fast because there is a serious concern that the excessive eating and drinking throughout the Yom Tov may have led to aveiros.

Why is there a greater concern of sin following a Yom Tov? Didn’t we just complete two nights of the seder strengthening our emunah and sanctifying ourselves with all the mitzvos of the chag, and partaking in mitzvah-ordained eating, including the mitzvos of achilas matzoh and seudos Yom Tov?

The Alter from Kelm asked: There are many aveiros that people commit and Chazal did not enact a fast day. Why is the possibility of sin brought on by the Yom Tov more of a cause to fast?

The Alter explains with a moshol. If one commits an act of robbery, it is self-understood that it is wrong and unforgiveable. The evil of robbery is common sense. If robbery would be allowed there would be no civility in the world and people would not be able to coexist.

However, there is an act of robbery that all would be in agreement is multiple times worse than an ordinary act of robbery. Imagine a homeless person, starving, unkempt, repulsive, and in dire need of a bath. Along comes a kind-hearted person and opens his home and heart to him. He overcomes his disgust, bathes him and feeds him, tends to all his needs and provides him with a comfortable bed. Every meal served is set royally with expensive dishes and elaborate finery.

In the middle of the night, this guest loads up a sack full of all the valuables used to serve him and flees. This may definitely be classified as an act of robbery. However, it is obvious that this was much worse. To do so to one’s benefactor, who treated and cared for him royally, is downright horrifying. A man who raised him from his guttural stench to humanity and respectability, to be maltreated in such a manner is outrageous and not merely an act of robbery.

Although the act of robbery was identical to any other robbery, the circumstances totally alter the perspective of the crime.

The Alter of Kelm continues. Definitely any aveirah transgressed is not to be taken lightly. When Hashem gifts us with a Yom Tov to sanctify ourselves, to become elevated and to deepen our connection to Him, it must be regarded as momentous and sacred. A ‘moed’ is a time of ‘hisva’adus’- of convening individually with the Eibershter. Yomim Tovim present us with a special aura and hashpaos that are limited to these occasions. If in these special moments that are to be utilized for growth, one indulges inappropriately, the aveirah is graver than if committed at any other time. For this, Chazal invoked the fast of B’hav.



May women recite a brocha on a time-sensitive mitzvah?


Women are generally exempt from time-bound mitzvos. Nonetheless, they have accepted upon themselves to observe some of these mitzvos, such as tekiyas shofar and netilas lulav. The Rishonim disagree about whether women should recite a brocha on time-bound mitzvos which they perform. Rambam -- whose opinion is followed by Shulchon Aruch -- holds that they should not. Since they are not commanded to perform these mitzvos, the phrase v’tzivonu would be false. Rabeinu Tam, and later the Rema, rule that women can recite the brocha. Their use of the term v’tzivonu refers to a man’s obligation. Although men are obligated in these mitzvos, women will receive a reward for them as well. The Ashkenazic custom follows this opinion, but Mishnah Berurah rules that a brocha should not be said on mitzvos which we do not find women performing in the Gemara.

[שו"ע יז, ב, ומשנ"ב ג-ד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 2]



Why is it customary for women not to wear tzitzis?


The obligation to wear tzitzis only applies during the day. Given the time-bound nature of the mitzvah, women are exempt from tzitzis and it is customary for women not to wear them. To be obligated in tzitzis, one must wear a four-cornered garment. Since a person is not required to wear such a garment, tzitzis is viewed as a discretionary mitzvah as opposed to a pure obligation. There is no custom for women to create the opportunity to wear tzitzis by wearing such a garment. If a woman does wear tzitzis, it is considered haughty behavior and should be disparaged. If she wears a tallis gadol or koton, she may be transgressing the prohibition of lo silbash (wearing clothing of the opposite gender).

[שו"ע יז, ב, ומשנ"ב ה; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 1]




When is a child obligated to wear tzitzis?

A child who knows how to properly wear tzitzis -- i.e. with two corners in the front and two in the back -- must be educated to perform the mitzvah. He should also be able to hold the tzitzis strings properly during Kriyas Shema. Although some hold that a child should wear tzitzis when he can begin to speak, the custom is to begin at the age of three. One should begin at that age, even if the child is not fastidious about cleanliness and his tzitzis will become soiled. The garment should be large enough to cover the child’s head and most of his body.

[שו"ע יז, ג, ומשנ"ב ט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 6-5 ;וראה שו"ע ח, ד, ומשנ"ב י, לו]
  • A garment must be at least a certain size to be subject to the requirement of tzitzis. According to Shulchon Aruch, the garment must be able to cover the head and most of the body of an average nine-year old. Rema adds that the garment must be large enough for a thirteen-year-old boy to wear outside--or at least at the entrance to his home--without feeling ashamed.

  • Some Achronim write that the length of a garment that would cover a nine-year-old measures at least an amah and a half. Some say that it is at least two amos. The poskim disagree about whether the shoulder sections that surround the neck hole count towards the minimal dimensions. It is proper for the garment to be at least an amah wide.

  • Rema rules that in order to be obligated in tzitzis, a garment must be large enough for a thirteen-year-old to walk outside in it without being embarrassed. The embarrassment is only measured as it relates to the size of the garment. Thus, if the garment is large enough to cover the young man’s body but he is uncomfortable wearing it outside for other reasons (e.g. he does not want to stand out by wearing an unusual garment), it is still required to have tzitzis.






  • Is there an obligation to wear tzitzis at night?










  • Should tzitzis be placed on a blanket?










  • When may a brocha be said on a tallis?
PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.
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