Pastor Dana Hanson

Senior Pastor of LIFEhouse Church

Northridge CA

And Rabbi Josh Aaronson

Senior Rabbi, Temple Judea of Tarzana

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scriptural-reasoning-tickets-147048805937

Reference Study Text: http://www.scripturalreasoning.org/uploads/8/0/7/8/80786736/fasting.pdf

EVENT SUMMARY:

Rabbi Aaronson elaborated on the prerequisites of fasting and by doing a major wrong, the fasting will be annuled. The four minor fasts are sun up to sun down fast not 24 hours fast. For two other major fasts which are Tim Shabbat and Yom Kippur, you need to pray as well, together with fasting. All fasts have the idea of getting close to God, for atonement from the sins and for spiritual rebirth. And by getting rid of everything, it is also a kind of cleanse. Because you cleaned your body materially, you are ready to get connected to God. 
Pastor Dana talks about fasting as a spiritual practice. Fasting as a follower of Jesus. “I fast during an important decision to make. I fast generally once a week throughout the year. From one dinner last night to the next. Fasting for me is going without food.” Jesus practiced it for 40 days out in the dessert. Some other Christians fast by abstaining from food and drink. Through fasting, Pastor Dana added that he understands that how much focus he is using to eat. From one of his wise teachers, Pastor Dana shared that “Fasting is feasting…. on doing God’s will.” 
Rabbi Aaronson and Pastor Dana added their finishing remarks before the comments and Q&A section. In the Q&A part, Pastor Dana talked about speech fasting and how he practiced that for 8 months from morning till noon. Upon another question, whether people fasting should also abstain from electronics, etc, Rabbi Aaronson replied by saying that that’s what some Jews do during shabbat.