JTF.ORG Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Nekama on December 25, 2014, 01:05:30 PM
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I believe today is Chaim's English birthday. Happy birthday!
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Happy Birthday Chaim! :) :dance:
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Uh Oh! Is it halachically correct to mark or celebrate one's birthday?
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Happy birthday Chaim!
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Uh Oh! Is it halachically correct to mark or celebrate one's birthday?
Happy Birthday Chaim...
Aluf, I asked that question a while ago and found that Judaism doesn't place a lot of emphasis on a birthday, but it is not against Judaism to do something especially good on that day. I will bring the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/458473/jewish/Birthday.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/655568/jewish/Why.htm
Be Grateful
First and foremost, a birthday is a day to feel grateful. It's a day for parents to be grateful to G‑d for the precious gift He granted them. A day for the Jewish nation to be grateful for the addition of a new member of the nation-family. And, of course, it is a day for the birthday celebrant to express gratitude to G‑d for the gift of life.
This is the day when you were given the mandate to change the world. The day when G‑d entrusted you with the mission to challenge a world that is hostile to spirituality and transform it into G‑d's private sanctum. And in accomplishing this goal, you, too, were given the ability to achieve incredible spiritual heights—heights unimaginable to the soul before it was dispatched from its lofty heavenly abode to inhabit a physical body.
Celebrating a birthday is thus also a demonstration of confidence. Confidence that you are and will continue to be worthy of G‑d's trust. No matter the obstacles, you will persevere and live up to G‑d's expectations of you.
This day takes on additional significance if you are above the age of bar or bat mitzvah. The word "mitzvah" means commandments, but is also related to the word "tzaveta," which means "connection." Fulfilling G‑d's commandments is the vehicle through which we connect to G‑d. Until bar and bat mitzvah, mitzvot are primarily an educational experience—the commandment element kicking in upon adulthood. That means greater responsibility, but an infinitely greater connection, too. Your birthday is also the anniversary of that momentous occasion. Another reason to be grateful...
Déjà Vu
Time is like a spiral. Annually, on the anniversary of any momentous event, we have the ability to tap into the same spiritual energy that originally caused that event (hence the concept of Jewish holidays).
When you were born, G‑d invested within you a soul abounding with talents and qualities. Your mazel was shining and at full strength. That same energy is present once again every year on the anniversary of that date. On this day you have the ability to accomplish that which would perhaps be very difficult on another day.
Rosh Hashanah is so special because it is the birthday of humankind—it is the day when Adam and Eve were created. Your birthday is your personal Rosh Hashanah—utilize it to its utmost!
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http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/481087/jewish/How-Do-Jews-Celebrate-Birthdays.htm
Questions:
Is there a Jewish way for me to celebrate my birthday?
Answer:
Sure, there's a Jewish way for everything!
Here are some ideas (culled from the teachings of the Rebbe):
Note: All these suggestions should be implemented on your Jewish birthday. Use our Jewish/Civil Date Converter to find out when your Jewish birthday is.
* Giving charity should be a daily event. On your special day increase the amount of your contribution, especially before the day's morning and afternoon prayers. If your birthday falls on Shabbat or a Jewish holiday when handling money is forbidden, give the added charity beforehand and afterwards.
* Spend some extra time praying, focusing on meditating and concentrating on the words of the prayers.
* Say as many Psalms as possible. Ideally you should complete at least one of its five books (Psalms is divided into five books).
* Study the Psalm which corresponds to your new year. This is your age plus one -- e.g. Psalm 25 if this is your 24th birthday. Click here to study it online. This is also the Psalm which you should try to say daily until your next birthday.
* Take some time out to contemplate on your past year. Consider which areas require improvement, and resolve to do so.
* Learn some extra Torah on this day.
* Study a Chassidic idea and repeat it at a gathering in honor of your birthday. Follow the following links for Short Insights, or some Essays.
* Partake of a new fruit which you did not yet taste during this season and recite the Shehecheyanu blessing.
* Take the time to teach another something about Torah and Judaism.
* Commit yourself to doing a particular good deed. Choose something practical and doable! Click here for some ideas.
* Men and boys over the age of thirteen: On the Shabbat beforehand, get an aliyah in the synagogue. If the birthday falls on a day when the Torah is read, be sure to receive an aliyah on that day too.
Click here for more information on birthdays.
Have a happy and meaningful birthday!
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Is there any special significance to Chaim being born on Christmas Day, i.e., two great men in history who influenced the course of human events for the better sharing the same birthday?
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Is there any special significance to Chaim being born on Christmas Day, i.e., two great men in history who influenced the course of human events for the better sharing the same birthday?
Another trollish post.
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I love this Rebbe........ :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAIM!!! :dance:
Happy Birthday Chaim...
Aluf, I asked that question a while ago and found that Judaism doesn't place a lot of emphasis on a birthday, but it is not against Judaism to do something especially good on that day. I will bring the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
http://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/458473/jewish/Birthday.htm
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/655568/jewish/Why.htm
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Is there any special significance to Chaim being born on Christmas Day, i.e., two great men in history who influenced the course of human events for the better sharing the same birthday?
Two issues here...
According to many, Dec 25 is not the birthday of yeshu... Second, Jews place more significance on the Hebrew date on the calendar than on the secular date. I am not sure if Dec 25 is the secular date of his birthday or the Hebrew day. So I find no significance to this date and Chaims birthday.
But Chaim is surely a figure who has potential to move the Jewish people forward.
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Chaim was born on 21 Tevet. He was born when Hanukkah is the earliest possible (November). Last year his Jewish birthday was on December 24. This year it will fall on January 12.
http://www.chabad.org/calendar/view/day.asp?tdate=12/25/1956
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Uh Oh! Is it halachically correct to mark or celebrate one's birthday?
Why wouldn't it be?
Is it halachically correct for you to type using a keyboard when typewriters are available? I don't have any reason why it wouldn't be correct, but I'm asking anyway. That is what you did.
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Happy Belated Birthday, Chaim!
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Happy birthday and may you see many more and the coming of Mashiach.
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Happy Birthday Chaim!!!!
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Happy Birthday Chaim, Did you treat yourself with something special to eat or to do?
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Happy secular bday
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Why wouldn't it be?
Is it halachically correct for you to type using a keyboard when typewriters are available? I don't have any reason why it wouldn't be correct, but I'm asking anyway. That is what you did.
Because the only person in Torah who had birthday parties was pharaoh, and it's all about ego and pride. People hold grudges for not being honored on this day, and feel miserable if they don't get calls to acknowledge their birthday. The "happiness" that it's your birthday has an opposite, hence it's phony.
That being said, I think if your birthday serves only to thank Hashem for your life and continued existence, instead of having a day for everyone to suck up to you, it's beneficial for your ego (unless you really want to be honored, and you're doing it because you want people to say "what a selfless guy", which is evidently "humble" vanity), and may even help sanctify what has become a commercial and self-absorbed practice and started as idolatry.
Thank G-d for giving you another birthday Chaim, and may you enjoy a hundred more. (don't think I'm acting self-righteous by saying that instead of happy birthday, it's just saying it after that would be so hypocritical, and that's the best I can come up with).
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Happy birthday Chaim!!!
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Because the only person in Torah who had birthday parties was pharaoh, and it's all about ego and pride. People hold grudges for not being honored on this day, and feel miserable if they don't get calls to acknowledge their birthday. The "happiness" that it's your birthday has an opposite, hence it's phony.
That being said, I think if your birthday serves only to thank Hashem for your life and continued existence, instead of having a day for everyone to suck up to you, it's beneficial for your ego (unless you really want to be honored, and you're doing it because you want people to say "what a selfless guy", which is evidently "humble" vanity), and may even help sanctify what has become a commercial and self-absorbed practice and started as idolatry.
I haven't seen any halacha cited in this comment. And yet somehow it was meant to be a reply to my question?
The point I was making was that Abir wanted to challenge what people were doing on supposed halachic grounds but without presenting any reason why it should be challenged - no source, no halacha, no rationale, no logic, nothing. He presented nothing. Just attacked others. I don't see how that's reasonable.
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I haven't seen any halacha cited in this comment. And yet somehow it was meant to be a reply to my question?
The point I was making was that Abir wanted to challenge what people were doing on supposed halachic grounds but without presenting any reason why it should be challenged - no source, no halacha, no rationale, no logic, nothing. He presented nothing. Just attacked others. I don't see how that's reasonable.
I'll reserve my comments on him for a short time. There isn't any halacha about it, if you want to have a birthday, it's obvious it's not kosher, but it's acceptable.
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I'll reserve my comments on him for a short time. There isn't any halacha about it, if you want to have a birthday, it's obvious it's not kosher, but it's acceptable.
What exactly does "Not kosher" but "acceptable" mean? Is that a halachic terminology? And how did you decide on this?
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There is nothing halachically wrong with observing the date of birth. If it is used in the manner LKZ mentions (as Pharoah did) then it is not the 'Jewish way' of observing the day.
Here is a somewhat more in-depth discussion covering the stricter interpretations which do find that we should not celebrate our birthdays...
A Jewish Perspective on Birthdays
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz
I. Introduction. There is a common practice in many contemporary societies for people to celebrate the anniversary of their birth. The exact method of celebration ranges from simple wishes of “Happy Birthday” to extravagant parties that are thrown in honor of the event. In this essay we will analyze a number of issues relating to the celebration of a birthday. Most importantly, we will deal with the question of the significance of the anniversary of one’s birth. Should one celebrate a birthday? If so, how should it be celebrated? Are there certain milestone birthdays that should be considered more significant than others?
II. The significance of a birthday. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashana 3:8) records that when Amalek came to do battle with the Jewish people, they were careful to have those whose birthday it was, fight on the front lines. The commentator Korban Edah explains that on one’s birthday, he has a special mazal that may be helpful in an otherwise risky situation. The Chida (Chomas Onach Iyov chapter 3) points out that this is not merely a belief of the pagan nations, but is actually firmly rooted in kabbalistic sources. The Chida writes that on one’s birthday his mazal is particularly strong. Based on this idea, the great Sephardic Chacham, Rabbi Chaim Paladgi writes that one should give extra tzedakah on his birthday because the increased mazal of the day will allow a person’s actions to have a greater impact on his overall personality and character (Tzedakah L’chaim). The Arvei Nachal (Parshas Shemini) writes that when a person focuses his efforts on a particular positive character trait on his birthday, Hashem will supply extra help to continue along that path (cited by Sefer Minhag Yisrael Torah page 264).
III. Is a birthday cause for celebration? At the core of the issue of whether birthday celebrations are appropriate is the question of whether the day of our births is actually a happy day. The gemara (Eruvin 13b) records that there was a running dispute between the Beis Shamai and the Beis Hillel whether a person would have been better off never being born, or better off having been born. The gemara comes to the somewhat startling conclusion that it would have been better for a person to have never been born. Based on this passage, Sefer Divrei Torah (5:88) writes that the anniversary of one’s birth is no cause for celebration. To the contrary, we would each be better off never having been born.
One can take issue with the conclusion of the Divrei Torah on the following grounds. Tosafos (Eruvin ibid.) asks that this gemara seems to contradict a gemara in Avoda Zara (5a) that requires a sense of gratitude to our forefathers, without whom we would never have been born. Tosafos explains that the gemara in Eruvin deals with one who is a “regular person” who would have been better off not being born, whereas the gemara in Avodah Zara deals with one who is a “tzadik” and is therefore certainly better off having been born. Rav Hershel Schachter has understood the definition of “tzadik” in this context to refer to one who is observant in torah and mitzvos. If we were to accept Rav Schachter’s definition, it is possible that an observant Jew may celebrate his birthday. In a similar vain, the Divrei Torah (ibid.) writes that a non-Jew, who is only obligated in seven mitzvos, and therefore has less opportunity to sin, is better off having been born. It would therefore be entirely appropriate for a non-Jew to celebrate a birthday. In general, the acharonim who address the issue of birthday celebrations are split as to their propriety.
A. The opposition to birthday parties. Sefer Otzar Kol Minhagei Yeshurun points out that the only time we find mention of a birthday celebration in ancient Jewish literature is by Pharoh making a party for his servants (Bereishis 40). As mentioned previously Divrei Torah writes that Jews have nothing to celebrate on their birthdays.
B. Those who do not find fault with birthday celebrations. Rav Moshe Feinstein, in the course of discussing the propriety of a bas mitzvah celebration states that it is no more than a glorified birthday party, which itself is only a seudas reshus (Responsa Iggeros Moshe Orach Chaim 1:104). The implication of this statement is that while there is no reason to specifically encourage such a seudah, there is also no objection to it (I have heard that Rav Moshe himself used to insist that each of his grandchildren call him on his birthday to wish him well). Rav Ovadia Yosef, in addressing this comment of Rav Feinstein, writes that a bas mitzvah is indeed a special occasion where we celebrate a person’s obligation in mitzvos. Furthermore, Rav Ovadia continues, even if it were nothing more than a birthday party, it would still be a seudas mitzvah if divrei torah were recited.
The Chasam Sofer (Toras Moshe, Parshas Vayeira) points out to celebrate the general (non-Jewish) custom birthdays, and claims that Avraham would make such a celebration for Yitzchak on the anniversary of his bris milah. (Regarding celebrating the anniversary of a bris milah see Ben Ish Chai, Parshas Re’eh 17 who composed a special prayer for this occasion.)
IV. How to celebrate a birthday. In spite of the possible significance of a birthday, we do not find anywhere in shas or rishonim that a birthday should be marked by an annual celebration. (See, however, Moed Katan 28 that a 60th birthday may be cause for celebration.) However, some acharonim raise the issue of celebrating a birthday and look favorably on this custom. The Ben Ish Chai (Parshas Re’eh 17) records the custom to celebrate a birthday every year, and comments that it is a nice custom that he followed in his own family. It goes without saying that the notion of a “party” devoid of any torah content, where people just eat and mingle, would not have any significance from a torah perspective. How then should one celebrate a birthday?
A. She’hechiyanu. Responsa Ginzei Yosef (4) writes that some “anshei ma’aseh” have the custom to recite a she’hechiyanu over a new fruit or a new garment on their birthdays. Responsa Chavos Yair (70) writes that one should make a special seudah and recite she’hechiyanu on his 70th birthday. The significance of the 70th birthday seems to be that Chazal assume that the average life span of a person is seventy years. It is therefore appropriate to thank Hashem for having lived a “full” life (indeed, Ruchoma Shain reports that her father, Rav Yakov Yosef Herman zt”l held a celebration upon turning 70 for this exact reason). The acharonim debate whether this beracha should be recited with Hashem’s name (b’shem u’malchus – see Pri Megadim, Mishbetzos Zahav, Orach Chaim 444:9, and Hagahos Chasam Sofer, Orach Chaim 222). The Kaf Hachaim writes that one should recite a she’hechiyanu on his 60th birthday as well, in celebration of the fact that he is now past the age that he would have died had he been chayav kareis. He does suggest, though, that this berachah be made on a new fruit with the intention to exempt the obligation to make the she’hechiyanu in honor of this milestone birthday.
B. Torah Learning. The K’sav Sofer (Responsa Yoreh Deah 148) writes that on his 50th birthday he celebrated by making a public siyum on maseches Pesachim and “thanking Hashem for bringing me to this point in my life, and for giving me the strength to learn and teach torah”. He also took the opportunity to pray that Hashem should “help me continue to work for His sake and the sake of His torah… and that Hashem should be with him as He was with his forefathers in the battle to promote the growth of torah, rebuild the many breaches that have been made in the torah, and to be saved from those who speak evil of our torah”. As mentioned above, Rav Ovadia Yosef goes so
far as to say that it is appropriate to have a special meal on one’s birthday where he recites divrei torah, and that
such a meal would enjoy the status of a seudas mitzvah (Responsa Yabia Omer, Orach Chaim 6:29).
C. Personal reflection. The K’sav Sofer also used his birthday as a time for personal reflection. Kuntros Ohel Leah (written by the son of the K’sav Sofer and printed at the beginning of K’sav Sofer al haTorah) records an incident when a student went to visit the K’sav Sofer and found him crying. The student asked his rebbe what the reason for his tears was, and the K’sav Sofer responded that it was his 54th birthday and he began to judge himself (dan, the Hebrew word for “judge” has a gematria of 54) and realized that he has not accomplished nearly as much as he should have in his 54 years in this world. He sensed that he was lacking in torah knowledge and righteousness, and was moved to tears by this realization.
D. Bein Adam L’chaveiro. Of course, the notion of respecting others and showing them that they are appreciated is a universal one, and is not limited to any single day of the year. Even so, Responsa Aparkasta D’anya (123) records that the Tiferes Yisrael insisted that his children write notes of mazal tov to each other on their birthdays. The custom to send a birthday card, while far from any form of halachic obligation or established custom, is a fine way to make others feel good about themselves, which is obviously a fulfillment of V’ahavta l’reacha kamocha.
Sefer Hakatan V’hilchosav (chapter 84) writes that the Jews of Yerushalayim made a birthday celebration for their rabbi, Rav Shmuel Salant, in honor of his seventieth and eightieth birthdays respectively. As a form of celebration, Rav Salant sent the amount of coins corresponding to his age to tzedakah.
V. Conclusion. We have explored the concept of a birthday and a birthday celebration from a Jewish standpoint. As with anything positive in our lives, we have found that our rabbinic leaders have developed uniquely Jewish ways to celebrate a birthday. Using the opportunity of a birthday to rethink our priorities, strengthen our commitment to torah, and our commitment to other people would certainly be a most productive method of celebration.
As you can see the conclusion and recommended ways of marking the date validates the previous article I posted concerning the Rebbes ideas on observing this date.
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A little late but Happy birthday, Chaim.