LEV927 Fast on the Tenth of Tishrei. One of Hashem's kind acts is that He sets aside one special day of the year when His creations can readily receive atonement for their sins if they repent for them. Therefore, on that day we are commanded to fast, because food, drink and other physical pleasures awaken the physical aspect of our beings to follow after mundane desires and be drawn to sin. Indulging in physical pleasures stops our intelligent soul from searching for truth—i.e., service of Hashem and the ethical teachings that are sweet to any intelligent being. On a day of judgment, it is inappropriate for a servant to appear before his Master with a soul darkened and polluted by thoughts of the physical due to indulgence in food and drink, for the servant is judged according to his deeds at that time. Rather, on this day, it behooves him to give prominence to his intelligent soul, subduing his physical side, letting his soul come forward and be worthy of atonement, without physical desires constituting an obstacle.