The Fast Fast

Sundown on Sunday (doesn't that sound lovely - how alliterate or onomatopoeic or whatever literary term) marked the start of Yom Kipur, the most serious Jewish holiday. Observers are supposed to spend all day begging God for forgiveness, giving him one last reason to inscribe their names in the Book of Life for another year.* The need to focus on atonement is so intense that fasting is required.

Even when I was a believer of sorts (as opposed to just a cultural Jew), I never fasted. Children, pregnant/breastfeeding women, and people with health conditions are exempt from starving themselves for 24 hours to show repentance. I gave up on the whole traditional God thing my freshman year of high school, when I learned that the story of Moses coincidentally appeared in Jewish liturgy when the Jews were slaves in Babylonia, and lo and behold, there was a Babylonian myth about a baby in a basket leading people out of bondage. Hence, I never had to fast.

Yesterday, though, I arose from a night of much needed beauty rest and discovered that my usual morning appetite was not present. Well, I thought, maybe I'll see what it is like to fast. It'll be some type spiritual cleansing. (I'd already failed to fully observe the dietary rules of Yom Kipur by eating a large chocolate bar well after the holiday began on Sunday night.)

My fast lasted about 17 hours. I slept through eight of them, which is almost half, so I suppose that helps. Putting 1% milk in my tea around 4:15 probably means I cheated, but whatever. At 5 pm, when I wolfed down a cheese stick. For dinner, I rapidly absorbed a double cheeseburger (milk with meat - how kosher!) and cheese fries, which made me feel rather ill. Later, I ate more chocolate.

Although I totally kept with my concept that foods that begin with the letter "c" are the best, I think it is a day I'll not repeat soon. Stomach is not so happy this morning.

*Now that I think about it, how awful is that? If someone then dies over the course of the year, is it their fault because they did not atone enough? How blame the victim!