Fasting On Aseres Y'mei Tshuvoh

How come the halochoh of fasting three days before Rosh HaShonoh, Tzom Gedalyoh till Yom Kippur, with the exclusion of Shabbos and Erev Yom Kippur has completely fallen into disuse?

My parents had a very dear friend, from Giessen Germany, who even in her eighties, would fast for at least until after chatzos on each of these days.

Shalom,

Rallis

I believe the Minhag was actually to fast 6 days on Aseres Y'mei Teshuva, as fasting on Erev Yom hakkipurim is assur. There were therefore four days needed before Rosh Hashanah in order to get to 10, hence the minimum 4 days of selichos before Rosh Hashanah, as selichos are always linked with fasting. I believe that some of the selichos that are recited on non-public fast-days actually refer to fasting!

I knew someone who until recently fasted 10 full days, and he explained that the minhag is/was that the first day of selichos and erev Rosh Hashanah are always fast-days. When Rosh Hashanah comes out on Thursday, the four days of selichos before are all fast-days. In other years one fasts on the Monday and Thursday of the week before Rosh Hashanah as well as the first day of selichos and Erev Rosh Hashanah.

Melech