Q. One who is keeping a Taanis Dibbur (a silence day – when only holy words are spoken) on Yom Kippur (or any day) what should he do when people ask him a question or try to schmooze with him, and he cannot answer?
A. Some Tzadikim like Horav Sholom Schwadron zt’l who often kept a Taanis Dibbur, would simply keep on repeating the Tehilim that they said by heart and just pointed to their mouths. The ones who were familiar with them, understood that it was one of the occasions of Taanis Dibbur.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it may be better and easier to just have a card ready with the words Taanis Dibbur or similar, to show to the ones approaching.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a