IDF Military Rabbinate Rules Combatants and Support Staff Exempt from Fasting on Tisha B'Av

Ahead of Tisha B'Av, the IDF Military Rabbinate issued a halachic ruling stating that soldiers engaged in combat, on alert, or supporting combat operations are exempt from fasting and must eat and drink normally to maintain operational readiness. The ruling, prepared by the Military Rabbinate's halachic division, takes into account the needs of troops deployed in Lebanon and other sensitive areas, emphasizing that preserving combat effectiveness overrides the fasting obligation.

This directive applies broadly to all soldiers involved in active operations or on immediate standby, regardless of their personal desire to fast. It includes combatants as well as support personnel such as mechanics and drone operators who are essential to maintaining the army's functional continuity. The Rabbinate stresses that soldiers should not reduce their food intake in a way that compromises their energy levels, and there is no requirement for measured or discreet eating.

However, if operational circumstances change and the need for readiness ends during the day, soldiers who began eating for operational reasons are expected to resume fasting for the remainder of Tisha B'Av. This guidance was distributed to IDF soldiers and commanders in the halachic-operational manual "Halacha Kesidra" ahead of the "Three Weeks" period and the fasts of the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av.