Month-long fast – Ask the Rabbi
Q. I think you once said people should fast for a month before Rosh HaShanah. Is this correct?
A. What I was recommending was not a fast in the normal sense of refraining from food and drink, but a “fast of speech”, whereby we would try to say as little as possible from the beginning of Ellul.
The Yom Kippur confessions focus largely on sins committed with the tongue. Callous or careless use of words does immense damage to others, to our society and to ourselves.
“Least said, soonest mended” is therefore a good principle, especially at this time of year.
