Fasting Still Relevant

Like Queen Esther: This girl is obviously rilly religiousToday is the Fast of Esther (or Ta-anit Esther, for the transliteration-happy among you).

“Go and gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan and fast over me, and do not eat and do not drink three days, night and day; and I and my maidens will also fast thus,” Esther is said to have told Mordechai. And, since the story ended well, the fast remains.

So, blackberry/raspberry bran morning muffin aside, I’m feeling nice and hungry and contemplative. (Can’t I meditate on my hunger between meals? I mean, technically I’m fasting at this very moment! And boy, am I thinking some redemptive thoughts.)

Unhappy correlation between modern American Jewish women and starvation aside, there are many, many purported benefits of fasting (redemption of your people is just icing on the cake you can't eat). If it’s good enough for Esther et al, Robin Quivers, and Beyonce, there’s got to be something to it.

Come on! We'll do it together! It'll be, like, a bonding thing!