Fasting or Feasting?

[Tumah]

From your religion's point of view is fasting or feasting seen as the more productive way to become closer to G-d?

In Judaism, we have 6 main required fast days and 72 required feasting days (each feast day requiring multiple feasts). There are additional optional fasting and feasting days.

Its brought down in a number of Jewish works, that although fasting has its purpose, its not ideal. The true saint serves G-d through his feasting.

How about you?

 

[arthra]

Interesting question Tumah... Baha'is observe a nineteen day Fast at the end of our year. The month is called 'Ala which means loftiness... We abstain from food and liquids from sunrise to sunset. The end of our Fast is Naw-Ruz a Holy Day where we share food and fellowship during the day. I think you could see that we feel very blessed and happy to end our Fast.

During the Baha'i year there are nineteen Feasts for each of our nineteen months. The Feasts are not necessarily feasts with plenty of food however, rather they are communal gatherings with prayers to begin each month.

The reason we Fast is that it is ordained by God:

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas states: "We have commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of maturity [15 year]; this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.... The traveler, the ailing, those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the fast.... Abstain from food and drink, from sunrise to sundown, and beware lest desire deprive you of this grace that is appointed in the Book."

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 236)

The purpose of the Fast can be seen in the prayer:

"Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! These are the days whereon Thou hast bidden all men to observe the fast, that through it they may purify their souls and rid themselves of all attachment to anyone but Thee, and that out of their hearts may ascend that which will be worthy of the court of Thy majesty and may well beseem the seat of the revelation of Thy oneness."

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 248)

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

In Judaism, we have 6 main required fast days and 72 required feasting days (each feast day requiring multiple feasts). There are additional optional fasting and feasting days.

Its brought down in a number of Jewish works, that although fasting has its purpose, its not ideal. The true saint serves G-d through his feasting.

Wow! You have that many feast days? That's pretty cool. I like the Jewish idea of God a lot more all of a sudden.

To answer the question: in my Greek-oriented path it's really down to the individual since we have no inherent doctrine (I know, it's a paen for answering questions like this!). Since I'm drawn more and more towards Dionysos I suspect I could encounter feasting more than fasting in the god's cult practice.

 

[Godobeyer]

From your religion's point of view is fasting or feasting seen as the more productive way to become closer to G-d?

In Judaism, we have 6 main required fast days and 72 required feasting days (each feast day requiring multiple feasts). There are additional optional fasting and feasting days.

Its brought down in a number of Jewish works, that although fasting has its purpose, its not ideal. The true saint serves G-d through his feasting.

How about you?

feasting is giving food to poor peaple ? or just inside family ?

 

[Tumah]

Wow! You have that many feast days? That's pretty cool. I like the Jewish idea of God a lot more all of a sudden.

They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat.
^ Famous summary of Jewish holidays.

To answer the question: in my Greek-oriented path it's really down to the individual since we have no inherent doctrine (I know, it's a paen for answering questions like this!). Since I'm drawn more and more towards Dionysos I suspect I could encounter feasting more than fasting in the god's cult practice.

Cool.

 

[Tumah]

feasting is giving food to poor peaple ? or just inside family ?

Feasting means to eat a large meal in celebration.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat.
^ Famous summary of Jewish holidays.

Respect for whoever came up with that. It sounds very devil-may-care! Would Hannukah be one of the holidays to fall under this summary?

 

[Tumah]

Respect for whoever came up with that. It sounds very devil-may-care! Would Hannukah be one of the holidays to fall under this summary?

Haha, technically, but there's no feast requirement on that one.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Haha, technically, but there's no feast requirement on that one.

... so feasting is like a bonus round?

 

[Godobeyer]

Feasting means to eat a large meal in celebration.

fasting is between individaul relation between person and God, so God only knows that you fasting or you just pretend

feasting could be better for make IF about tight relationship with family and give poor people delicicous food.

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

Respect for whoever came up with that. It sounds very devil-may-care! Would Hannukah be one of the holidays to fall under this summary?

Yes with some rules of the foods, a fast day before for the firstborn on Pessach

 

[Flankerl]

feasting could be better for make IF about tight relationship with family and give poor people delicicous food.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzedakah
http://www.jewfaq.org/tzedakah.htm
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tzedakah-101/
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Tzedaka.html
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/tzedakah.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/814118/jewish/Charity-Tzedakah.htm

 

[Godobeyer]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzedakah
http://www.jewfaq.org/tzedakah.htm
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tzedakah-101/
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Tzedaka.html
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/tzedakah.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/814118/jewish/Charity-Tzedakah.htm

Thanks for links.
Good to know ,its may similaire to Muslim one.
So 10% of income , we have 2,5%... But donate is required all time,especially for needed,and poor nieghbores .

Yesterday my mom donate helpful money and food to poor neighbored.

 

[Quintessence]

Translating this OP to "from your religion's point of view is fasting or feasting seen as the more productive way to become closer to the gods" since my religion doesn't recognize or honor the one-god. But even with that translation, the question still doesn't make much sense in my theology, because it presumes some divide between humans and the gods that I do not see in my day-to-day experiences. In this one's religion is no need to "become closer to the gods" because they are already all around us, all the time, everywhere. I mean, I guess if you want to be closer to a particular god, sometimes you have to travel and seek particular experiences. If I want to be closer to Ocean Spirit, I have to take a trip to the east coast or west coast. And I suppose if I wanted to be closer to the Spirit of Gluttony, feasting would be a way to do that?

 

[Godobeyer]

I've never donated anything to a charity.

Even poor people you know in person?

 

[Godobeyer]

Nada.

Ah, this Arabic name !

 

[Jainarayan]

Hinduism has a couple of fasts, but they aren't required. In fact one lady at temple said her idea of fasting is 70 mph. There are technically four fasting days per month... two for Lord Vishnu, and two for Lord Shiva. They fall on the 11th and 13th days of each new and full moon. Most Hindus, if they keep the fasts, will do one or the other, depending on their preferred form of God. I have yet to see or hear of feasting in Hinduism, since feasting could be considered being an excess.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

^ You may want to edit that post or take it to the Eros Room

 

[Ingledsva]

From your religion's point of view is fasting or feasting seen as the more productive way to become closer to G-d?...

How about you?

I don't think either is required to become closer to Deity.

However, fasting gives you insight into so many areas, and feasting of course is often thanks-giving, and joy of life.

*

 

[Quintessence]

However, fasting gives you insight into so many areas, and feasting of course is often thanks-giving, and joy of life.

*

There's definitely some merit to this. Self-inflicted suffering can be a vector to prime mystical experiences. Not eating food would not be my first choice of methods for that, though. It just makes me grumpy. Sleep deprivation is a better call for me.