When r' yehoshua came to r' ashis house r Ashi asked him to eat and r yehoshua answered that he was fasting. R ashi replied that he can make it up but r yehoshua said that it was a Taanis Chalom which cannot be made up- but was was r ashis Hava Amina when advising him to make it up- meaning, what other fast would r yehoshua be fasting by himself if not for a taanis chalom (that he would be able to make up with money)?
Thanks for all your free hard work for the rabim. May hashem bless you with only the best!
Thanks
Shmuel Dann, Brooklyn US
It is possible to say that Rav Ashi thought that Rav Yehoshua had taken upon himself to fast on a certain day but not on this specific day, and had then started fasting on this day. Rav Ashi felt that such a fast could be suspended but Rav Yehoshua told him that it was a Ta'anis Chalom which cannot be suspended. (This is suggested by Rav Elyashiv zt'l in He'oros to Maseches Shabbos.)
Another possible answer is that this occurred on a weekday and not Shabbos. The Chasam Sofer proves this from the fact that he said, "I'm fasting," and did not say it was a Ta'anis Chalom. Thus, it could have been a regular fast which he accepted upon himself, which can also be redeemed with money, and therefore Rav Yehoshua stressed that it was a Ta'anis Chalom.
Yoel Domb