Question:
I take a medication which makes my mouth feel parched in the morning and throughout the day. Is there any heter for me to drink with in small amounts (shiurim)?
Answer:
Hello,
Drinking shiurim essentially is violating a biblical commandment, because eating or drinking even a little bit is not permitted. The idea of eating shiurim, is that a person who is sick with a life-threatening illness and needs to eat, is allowed to eat “shiurim”, instead of eating regular. This in because eating a dates worth of food would violate a kares prohibition, therefore since he has to eat it is preferred that he only violate a biblical commandment instead of the more severe prohibition.
In your situation, baruch Hashem the dry feeling in your mouth is not life threatening, rather it is inconvenient. Yes, it is not comfortable, but this being uncomfortable is well worth it. Hashem told us to “afflict” ourselves with these pains on Yom Kippur, and these pains help and cause, that together with our doing teshuva, Hashem will forgive our sins… which can cause problems and pain a lot worse than the temporary uncomfortable feeling of fasting etc.
Have a gmar chasima tova
