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Fast of the Firstborn: Custom or Law?

פסחים קח.

רב ששת הוה יתיב בתעניתא כל מעלי יומא דפסחא נימא קא סבר רב ששת סמוך למנחה גדולה תנן ומשום פסחא הוא דילמא מימשך ואתי לאימנועי מלמעבד פיסחא הוא

Pesachim 108a

The Gemara relates that Rav Sheshet would fast the entire eve of Passover. The Gemara asks: Shall we say that Rav Sheshet maintains that this practice was necessary because of two factors? First, when the mishna states that one may not eat adjacent to minḥa time, we learned this ruling with regard to the period of time adjacent to the greater minḥa, and the reason for the prohibition is due to the Paschal lamb, lest one be drawn after one’s meal and come to refrain from performing the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb.

אמרי לא שאני רב ששת דאיסתניס הוה דאי טעים בצפרא מידי לאורתא לא הוה מהני ליה מיכלא:

They say in response to this suggested interpretation of Rav Sheshet’s practice: No, it is by no means clear that this was his reasoning. Rav Sheshet was different, as he was delicate [istenis], for if he would taste some food in the morning, the food he ate at night would not be effective for him. He would therefore fast the whole day so that he could eat matza at night with a hearty appetite.

The Talmud records that Rav Sheshet would fast on Erev Pesach. However, although the Gemara suggests reasons (relating to the Korban Pesach) why he may have done this, it does NOT suggest Ta’anit Bechorot! In the end, it concludes that Rav Sheshet was very sensitive to food and would not eat on Erev Pesach so that he could eat matza properly at seder.

מסכת סופרים פרק כא

ולמה אין מתענין אותן בחדש ניסן מפני שבאחד בניסן הוקם המשכן ...

לפיכך אין אומרין תחנונים כל ימי ניסן ואין מתענין עד שיעבור ניסן אלא הבכורות שמתענין בערב הפסח והצנועין בשביל המצה כדי שיכנסו בה בתאוה והתלמידים מתענין בו שני וחמישי מפני חילול השם ומפני כבוד ההיכל שנשרף:

Tractate Sofrim Chapter 21

And why do we not fast during the month of Nisan?

1) Firstborns would fast on Erev Pesach.

2) Very pious ones would fast on Erev Pesach in order to be hungry for the matza on Seder night.

3)Talmidei Chachamim would fast (even in Nissan) Mon/Thurs/Mon fasts due to a level of piety

Mesechet Sofrim says that one should not fast in Nissan due to the many celebrations involved in the building of the Mishkan. However, a number of minhagim arose for individuals to fast in Nissan including for first borns to fast on erev Pesach.