Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

According to the accepted custom, women are not required to observe the Ta'anit Bechorot (Fast of the Firstborn) on Ereb Pesah, or participate in a Siyum to absolve themselves from the fast. Nevertheless, there are some firstborn women who have the practice of refraining from eating until they receive some cake from the Siyum made in the synagogue for the male firstborn (which some people sarcastically call "the magic cake"). Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) writes that although a man who is a firstborn must actually attend a Siyum, and simply being brought a piece of cake does not absolve him from the fast, nevertheless, firstborn women may adopt this practice, since in any event they are not required to fast. In order for a firstborn to absolve himself from the fast, he must either eat a Ke'zayit of Mezonot food (approximately 30 grams) or drink a Rebi'it of wine or grape juice (approximately 3.2 ounces) at the Siyum celebration. It occasionally happens that cake made from potato starch is serv