√ Minors: boys under 13 years old and girls under 12 years old are completely exempt from this fast.
√ Pregnant women are exempt from this fast.
√ In many Sephardic communities the tradition is that after giving birth women are exempted from fasting for the next 24 months, even when they are no longer breastfeeding their baby. In other Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities, the nursing mother is only excused from fasting mothers for 24 months while she is breastfeeding her baby. Consult with the rabbi of your community regarding the custom to follow.
√ A person who is feeling unwell, for example, with flu symptoms or fever, or a person with a chronic illness, such as diabetes, should not fast. Elders should check with their doctors to determine if fasting will affect their health. In which case they are exempt from fasting.
