Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther (Hebrew: תַּעֲנִית אֶסְתֵּר, romanized: Ta’anit Ester) is a fast in Judaismobserved on the eve of Purim. According to most scholars, it commemorates the communal fast held by the Jewish people throughout the Achaemenid Empire on the 13th day of Adar.^[1] According to the Book of Esther, this was the date scheduled for the battle between the Jews and their antagonists, and the fast followed a tradition where Jewish communities would fast during wartime to arouse “mercy from God”.^[2][3]

Unlike other fasts, the Fast of Esther is a Jewish custom. It is not mentioned in the Talmud, but it is mentioned in the Midrash and other later sources from the days of the Geonim. Therefore, it is considered less severe than the other fasts.^{[4] – Wiki}