Fast of the Firstborn 2026

The Fast of the Firstborn (Ta'anit Bechorot) is observed on the 14th of Nisan, the day before Passover. Firstborn males fast in gratitude that Jewish firstborns were spared during the tenth plague in Egypt, when the Egyptian firstborns died. If the 14th falls on Shabbat, the fast is moved to the preceding Thursday.

A siyum is a celebration held upon completing the study of a tractate of Talmud or another significant Torah text. It is customary to attend a siyum on the morning of Erev Pesach, which creates a seudat mitzvah (obligatory festive meal) that exempts firstborns from fasting. This widespread practice means most firstborns do not actually fast on this day.