Rav Yisrael Salanter's Yom Kippur Kiddush
During the 1848 cholera epidemic, Rav Yisrael Salanter went up to the bimah in Vilna on Yom Kippur and made kiddush so that his kehillah would eat.
In 1848, a cholera epidemic swept through Eastern Europe, including the Jewish communities of Lithuania. The disease was swift and deadly, and its effects were especially devastating in crowded and impoverished areas.
Rav Yisrael Salanter, the founder of the Mussar movement, was living in Vilna at the time. Seeing the mounting number of deaths and the panic among the people, he realized that strict fasting on Yom Kippur could dangerously weaken many individuals, making them more vulnerable to the disease.
A Controversial Decision
As Yom Kippur approached, Rav Yisrael Salanter consulted with doctors. He concluded that fasting could be life-threatening for many.
But convincing a devout community to break the Yom Kippur fast—the holiest day in the calendar—was no small task. The law permits and even demands that one violate fasts or other mitzvot to preserve life, but many people were hesitant to rely on this. Moreover, others could and did argue that their lives were not in danger.