Accidentally ate on Taanis Esther Nidche

1. Question:

What is the law if I accidentally ate or drank on Thursday, Taanis Esther Nidcheh? Should I continue to fast, or should I make up the fast on another day?

Answer:

If you ate a substantial amount, which is more than a Revius of liquid or more than a Kezayis of food within Achilas Peras, then you are to make up the fast on Friday. You do not have to continue fasting on Thursday although should not eat publicly, and should diminish in delicacies [and it is a stringency for you to continue fasting also the rest of the day]. If you ate or drank less the above amount and then remembered that it is a fast day, then you may continue fasting on Thursday and do not have to make of the fast on Friday. When fasting on Friday, you are to recite the prayer of Aneinu in Mincha, and are not to break your fast until after you say kiddush after nightfall.

Explanation: In general, we rule that a person who accidentally ate on a public fast day must continue fasting on that day and he’s not required to make it up another day and he does not have the option to do so even if he wanted to, unless he continues to fast that day and desires to fast on another day as an atonement for the fact he ate on the fast day. However, by Taanis Esther Nidche which was pushed up to Thursday, since Thursday is not its ideal day there is a makeup day the next day which is Friday, and hence if one ate on Thursday we tell him to simply make it up on a different day. The source for this is from two different laws brought in the Poskim, with the first being regarding a Bris that falls on Thursday. In such a case, many Poskim rule that the meal should take place on Thursday and that everyone who ate by the meal should make up the fast on Friday. It is based on this that the Poskim rule that one who was traveling on Thursday Taanis Esther Nidche and did not realize that it was a fast day, is to fast the next day, Friday. The reason for this is because the fast of Esther does not truly have a set date, especially in a year that it is Nidche. Based on this, we likewise concluded that anyone who ate on Thursday is to make up the fast on Friday. Nevertheless, this only applies if one ate a substantial amount of a Kezayis/Revius, as it is ruled in the Shulchan Aruch even regarding a Taanis Yachid that if he ate less than this amount then he is to continue to fast. [Vetzaruch Iyun, as a) perhaps we differentiate between a Taanis Yachid which is due to a Neder and a Taanis Tzibur in this regard, and by a Taanis Tzibur, even if one ate less than this amount he must make up the fast another day by Taanis Esther Nidche and b) Perhaps Taanis Esther has the status of a Taanis Tzibur as rules Maharash Levi, and hence one should continue fasting on that day, and also fast the next day to suspect for the opinion that it is considered a Taanis Yachid. Vetzaruch Iyun!]

Sources: Toras Hamoadim 3:2 [Dovid Yosef]; See regarding if ate on Thursday that you fast on Friday: Regarding Bris: Rama 686:2; M”B 686:7; Shaar Hatziyon 686:13; Regarding travel: Shvus Yaakov 3:50 brought in Shaareiy Teshuvah 686:5; M”B 686:3; Kitzur SH”A 141:3Shevach Hamoadim 136  See regarding the law if one ate on a regular fast day that we rule that he should continue fasting: See Michaber 568:1; Kaf Hachaim 549:6-7; 568:7; Piskeiy Teshuvos 568:3; See regarding that if one ate less than a Kezayis or Revius that he does not lose his fast: Michaber 568:1; M”A 586:2; Birkeiy Yosef 568; Shaareiy Teshuvah 568:2