I heard on a recent shiur that in the next weeks we are going to commemorate three different days for some to fast or recite special prayers named as Behab. What exactly is it and how does it affect people going to shul?
A.The Fast Days of Behab (or Beahab) is an Ashkenazi tradition of fasting on the first Monday, Thursday, and following Monday after Pesach (in Iyar) and also after Sukkot (in Cheshvan). "Behab" is an acronym for Bet (or Monday), Hay (Thursday), Bet (and again Monday), established to atone for potential sins or excessive indulgence that some may have done during the holidays.
The Behab traditions are not necessarily kept by all communities, such as Chasidim or Sefardic congregations.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a
Important Numbers
