Taking an easy-fast pill on Shabbos Erev Tishe Beav

Question:

May one take a easy-fast pill [Kali Zom] on Shabbos Erev Tishe Beav? Does it transgress taking medicine on Shabbos? Does it transgress preparing for after Shabbos?

Answer:

It is permitted to do so if it is something you truly need to help you fast.

Explanation:

Tzom Kal (or Kali Tzom) pills are supplements designed to ease fasting by reducing hunger and thirst. The content may contribute to a feeling of satiety. They’re often used prior to fasts like Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av to help prevent symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and cramps. The tablets typically include calcium, Korean ginseng, and a mix of herbal ingredients, and are taken before the fast to make the experience more manageable. Now, The two major Halachic concerns involved in taking these pills on Shabbos are with regards to the medicine prohibition as well as if doing so transgresses preparing for after Shabbos. We will address each issue separately:

1. Medicine: The medicine prohibition on Shabbos only applies to a person who has an ailment for which he is taking medication. However, if he is completely healthy not taking it for medicinal purposes, then there is no prohibition at all and take It is not considered medicine being that one is currently healthy. In the words of the Alter Rebbe “If one does not have any ache at all and does not intend at all [to eat an item] for healing but rather for a different usage, such as for example, one who eats sweet resin and swallows a raw egg in order to sweeten his voice, then it is permitted.” Based on this, there are many Poskim who conclude that all medicines invited which are regularly taken by healthy people as preventive measures may be taken even on Shabbos so long as one is not ill and does not have an ailment. Based on this, other allowances have been given such as taking sleeping pills, or stay awake pills or fertility pills or contraceptive pills etc. on Shabbos being that they are not considered taken by someone who has an illness. Based on all this, we can likewise conclude that taking a easy fast pill which is simply a combination of herbs which help with preventing future symptoms that have not yet occurred, and likewise give a general benefit of making one feel more satiated, is not considered a medicine, and therefore may be taken on Shabbos. We will now address the second issue which is that of preparing on Shabbos for after Shabbos.
2. Preparing on Shabbos for after Shabbos: In general, It is forbidden to do anything on Shabbos on behalf of the weekday and hence based on this alone one could conclude that taking the easy fast pill on Shabbos is forbidden being that it is taken on behalf of the next days fast. However, there are several caveats to this restriction and as we will now see, it does not apply in this case. First off, the prohibition only applies when there is no benefit from the action on Shabbos, however, if also on Shabbos one will benefit from the action, then it is permitted to be done. For this reason, it is permitted for one to prepare his bed on Shabbos morning as although it primarily serves for the purpose of sleep which is at night, nonetheless it adds to the decor of the room on Shabbos day itself. The same argument can be voiced regarding the easy fast pill, as it is no different than one who eats the third meal on Shabbos for the sake of not feeling hungry on the fast, which is certainly permitted, reason being that it also gives one benefit and satiation on Shabbos itself. Aside from this, however, there exists a further argument to make for its allowance. There are some authorities who learn that the entire prohibition of Hachana and Tircha from Shabbos to the weekday only applies when one is trying to save time by doing so on Shabbos. However, if one will not be able to do the action after Shabbos, and hence if not doing so on Shabbos will cause him a loss, then it is permitted. Now, since one cannot take the pill after Shabbos due to the fast having already entered, and it is difficult to require one to take it with bitter water or saliva, therefore, taking it on Shabbos would fall under this allowance. Now, although the Alter Rebbe does not necessarily hold of this latter allowance, when placed together with the previous argument, certainly one may do so, especially being that it is a time of need and need of a Mitzvah to help one perform the mitzvah fasting, and here too we find a number of Achronim who rule that in a time of need and for the sake of a mitzvah it is permitted to prepare for after Shabbos.

Sources: Piskeiy Teshuvos 302 footnote 146; Yalkut Yosef Taanis p. 379;  Mayan Omer 3:125; Tzitz Eliezer 11:37-1; See Regarding Medcine on Shabbos for the healthy: Admur 328:43; Ketzos Hashulchan chapter 138 footnote 31; Beir Moshe 1:33-19 regarding “stay awake pills”; Beir Moshe 1:33-1; Beir Moshe 2:32See regarding Hachana Mishabbos Lechol: Admur 254:10; 319:18; 321:6; 500:20; 503:1-3; Michaber 503:1; Rama 667:1 regarding Hachana; Chayeh Adam 153:6; Maharshag 1:61; M”B 667:5; Kaf Hachaim 503:2; Opinion of Admur: There exist many different rulings in Admur regarding if one may prepare for after Shabbos/Yom Tov for the sake of loss prevention. [See Admur 254:10 and M”A 254: 23 that it is forbidden to remove bread from the oven for the next day, and seemingly, this is despite the fact that it will cause a loss to the bread, as explains, and questions the Elya Raba 254:18; In 319:18 regarding saving a food from spoilage Admur only permits preparing to prevent through a gentile. In 321:6 regarding watering vegetables to prevent shriveling, Admur only permits doing so being that it is for the sake of preventing loss and is not noticeable to others that it is for the next day, such as that perhaps he will eat it that day, and he thus does not extend the allowance to soaking three-day meat. However, in 500:20 Admur permits soaking meat of three days in water to prevent its prohibition in cooking being that soaking is less of an effort than washing dishes. This seemingly contradicts the ruling of Admur in 321:6, brought earlier, however, in truth the difference is that in 321:6 it discusses Shabbos when the raw meat cannot be cooked and is hence not edible, while in 500:20 it is discussing Yom Tov, when the meat is edible and hence does not appear to others like a preparation.] The final summary of his opinion seems to be as follows: It is forbidden to prepare for after Shabbos/Yom Tov even in a time of need, to prevent loss to the item, unless the following conditions are met. 1) One does so through a gentile. Or 2) It does not involve much effort [i.e. soaking] and it is not apparent to others that it is being done for after Shabbos/Yom Tov. No mention is made in Admur regarding if a case that involves a Mitzvah should receive greater leniency than above. Now, although in 503:3 Admur prohibits bringing wine on the first day of Yom Tov for Kiddush of the second day, which implies that no extra leniency is given even for the sake of a Mitzvah, nevertheless, perhaps if its both for the sake of a Mitzvah and a time of need or loss prevention, Admur would be more lenient. Vetzaruch Iyun!