Yom Kippur-Halachot of Eating and Smelling

If someone inadvertently intended to eat on Yom Kippur, and realized his mistake after reciting the Bracha on food, he should NOT even taste a little bit. It is better to have said a Bracha L’Vatala (in vein) than taste even a little amount of food. He would then say "Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto L’Olam Va’ed" to rectify his transgression. This is a function of the grave severity of eating on Yom Kippur. On other fast days, it would be preferable to taste the food, rather than say a Beracha L’Vatala. —- Swallowing saliva is not considered drinking, and there is no issue with doing so. Nevertheless, there were great Rabbis who accepted upon themselves as an extra stringency not to swallow. Rav Natan Wachtfogel of Lakewood Yeshiva would sit in the front of the Bet Midrash and secrete his saliva into tissues until his mouth dried up. —- Chewing gum, even if flavorless, is prohibited on Yom Kippur. —- Not only is it permitted to smell fragrances on Yom Kippur, it is considered a Mitzva, even though it is enjoyable. Doing so allows a person to complete the requisite one hundred Brachot that should be recited every day. The normal routine of Yom Kippur is missing Brachot because of the lack of meals. The Bracha on fragrances can be made several times a day.

 By Rabbi Eli Mansour