What is "ta'anit"

A ta'anit or taanis (in Ashkenaz pronunciation) or taʿanith in Classical Hebrew is a fast in Judaism in which one abstains from all food and drink, including water. A Jewish fast may have one or more purposes, including:

• A tool for repentance
• An expression of mourning
• Supplication, such as the Fast of Esther or a Ta'anit Halom (fast over a disturbing dream).

Ta'anit or Taanis is a volume (or "tractate") of the Mishnah, Tosefta, and both Talmuds. In Judaism these are the basic works of rabbinic literature.

The tractate of Ta'anit is devoted chiefly to the fast-days, their practices and prayers. In most editions of the Talmud this treatise is the ninth in the mishnaic order of Seder Mo'ed, and is divided into four chapters containing thirty-four folio in all. The following is a summary of its contents: __TOC__