Q:
Is it possible for a fast day to fall on a Friday?
A:
Asara Be-Tevet is the only one. Shulchan
Aruch, Orach Chaim 428, 550.
Q:
Is it permissible to eat before Alot Ha-Shachar?
A:
Yes, if one made such a condition before going to sleep, and it is sufficient
to think it (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 564:1.
Mishnah Berurah #3. Sha'ar
Ha-Tziyun #3).
Q:
It is permissible to brush one's teeth?
A:
Yes (Shut Minchat Yitzchak 4:109. Yalkut
Yosef – Moadim, p. 534).
Q:
To bathe?
A:
Even one who is strict not to bathe on Asara Be-Tevet may do so when it falls
on Friday in honor of Shabbat (Mishnah Berurah 550:6. Shut Yechaveh Daat 5:41).
Q:
Can someone who is not fasting serve as Shaliach Tzibur?
A:
No. Shulchan Aruch 566:2.
Q:
It there a Minhag to give Tzedakah?
A:
Yes. The reward of a fast is the
Tzedakah given. Berachot 6b. And there are those who give the amount of
food they would have eaten. Mishnah
Berurah 566:12.
Q:
Is it permissible to taste the food in honor of Shabbat if there is a concern
that the taste will be spoiled?
A:
Taste a tiny amount and spit it out.
Rama, Orach Chaim 557:1. Mishnah
Berurah #6.
Q:
Should one also put on Talit and Tefillin at Minchah?
A:
The majority do not put on Tefillin at Minchah.
Sha'arei Teshuvah 34:2, 37:1.
Biur Halachah 37 d.h. Be-Sha'at.
Regarding Talit, there is no problem to do so.
Q:
If the community Davens after sundown, do they still read the Torah reading of
Vayechal and say Anenu in the Shemoneh Esrei?
A:
Yes. But they should take care to Daven
before sundown since there is a belittling of the honor of Shabbat in doing so
(Shut Dvar Yehoshua 3:63. Piskei
Teshuvot 550:10).
Q:
Do we recite Birchat Cohanim at Minchah (in Eretz Yisrael)?
A:
Some say in the name of the Chazon Ish that a Cohain who is fasting recites
Birchat Cohanim even at Minchah Gedolah, and this is how they act in his Beit
Midrash in Bnei Brak (Kehilat Yaakov Bereachot #29. Maaseh Ish Vol. 2, p. 98), and some also
follow his ruling in other places (Moadim Uzmanim 7:248). But this is an innovation. In general, we only recite Birchat Cohanim at
Minchah Ketana (Shut Shevet Ha-Levi 8:23.
Hilchot Shlomo, Chapter 10 note 21).
And some say only after Pelag Ha-Minchah (Luach Eretz Yisrael). See Piskei Teshuvot (128:1) and Ishei Yisrael
(Chapter 27 note #116).
Q:
Do we recite Vidui and Tachanun at Minchah?
A:
No (Mishnah Berurah 550:11). And the
same is true of Avinu Malchenu (Mishnah Berurah 602:3), and some Sefaradim
recite Avinu Malchenu skipping the parts which mention sin (see Shut Yechaveh
Daat 1:54. Piskei Teshuvot 550 note
#37).
Q:
When does the fast end?
A:
After three medium size stars have come out on Shabbat. Rama, Orach Chaim 249:4.
