Part 1: Goyish Birthdays, Secular Birthdays and Mazal
The 1st and only...Mention of Birthday in the Torah
(כ) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ ׀ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו׃
(20) On the third day—his birthday—Pharaoh made a banquet for all his officials, and he singled out his chief cupbearer and his chief baker from among his officials.
Mesechet Megillah 13b, Rashi:
Moshe Rabbeinu was born in Adar, and this protected us during the miracle of Purim.
Moshe Rabbeinu was born in Adar, and this protected us during the miracle of Purim.
תלמוד ירושלמי ראש השנה פרק ג
ריב"ל אמר עמלק כושפן היה מה היה עושה היה מעמיד בני אדם ביום גינוסיא שלו לומר לא במהרה אדם נופל ביום גינוסיא שלו.
Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah Ch. 3
Rabbi Joshua son of Levi said, Amalek was a sorcerer. What did he do? He would put up people [to fight] on their birthdays, as if to say
person does not quickly fall on his birthday.
ריב"ל אמר עמלק כושפן היה מה היה עושה היה מעמיד בני אדם ביום גינוסיא שלו לומר לא במהרה אדם נופל ביום גינוסיא שלו.
Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah Ch. 3
Rabbi Joshua son of Levi said, Amalek was a sorcerer. What did he do? He would put up people [to fight] on their birthdays, as if to say
person does not quickly fall on his birthday.
The Chida: (Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai 1724-1807): This is rooted in the kabbalistic sources which talk about a person’s Mazal.
Rav Saadyah Gaon and the Ibn Ezra both wrote that a person’s solar-or secular birthday-is what should be counted!
Rav Saadyah Gaon and the Ibn Ezra both wrote that a person’s solar-or secular birthday-is what should be counted!
האי מאן דבתרי בשבא יהי גבר רגזן מ"ט? משום דאיפליגו ביה מיא.
One who was born on the second day of the week, Monday, will be a short-tempered person. What is the reason for this? It is because on that day, the second day of Creation, the upper and lower waters were divided. Therefore, it is a day of contentiousness.
One who was born on the third day of the week will be a rich man and a promiscuous person. What is the reason for this? It is because on that day, the third day, vegetation was created. It grows abundantly but is also mixed together without boundaries between the grass and the plants.
One who was born on the fourth day of the week will be a wise and enlightened person. What is the reason for this? It is because the heavenly lights were hung in the heavens on that day, and wisdom is likened to light.
One who was born on the third day of the week will be a rich man and a promiscuous person. What is the reason for this? It is because on that day, the third day, vegetation was created. It grows abundantly but is also mixed together without boundaries between the grass and the plants.
One who was born on the fourth day of the week will be a wise and enlightened person. What is the reason for this? It is because the heavenly lights were hung in the heavens on that day, and wisdom is likened to light.
Part 2: Rabbinical Sources for Celebrating Birthdays
(כא) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם:
(21) He [Yehudah ben Teima] used to say: Five years [is the age] for [the study of] Scripture, Ten [is the age] for [the study of] Mishnah, Thirteen [is the age] for [observing] commandments, Fifteen [is the age] for [the study of] Talmud, Eighteen [is the age] for the [wedding] canopy, Twenty [is the age] for pursuit, Thirty [is the age] for [full] strength, Forty [is the age] for understanding, Fifty [is the age] for [giving] counsel, Sixty [is the age] for mature age, Seventy [is the age] for a hoary head, Eighty [is the age] for [superadded] strength, Ninety [is the age] for [a] bending [stature], One hundred, is [the age at which one is] as if dead, passed away, and ceased from the world.
מועד קטן כ״ח א:כ״ט-ל״א
רב יוסף כי הוה בר שיתין עבד להו יומא טבא לרבנן אמר נפקי לי מכרת
Moed Katan 28a
When Rav Yosef turned sixty, he made a holiday for the rabbis, declaring "I am exempt from excision
רב יוסף כי הוה בר שיתין עבד להו יומא טבא לרבנן אמר נפקי לי מכרת
Moed Katan 28a
When Rav Yosef turned sixty, he made a holiday for the rabbis, declaring "I am exempt from excision
Tanchuma Parshat Bo:
Yitzchok was born on the fiteenth day of Nissan, and that is the day that we left Mitzrayim.
Midrash:
Hashem waited until Nissan to dedicate the Mishkan, as that was the day of the birthdays of the Avot.
Yitzchok was born on the fiteenth day of Nissan, and that is the day that we left Mitzrayim.
Midrash:
Hashem waited until Nissan to dedicate the Mishkan, as that was the day of the birthdays of the Avot.
שו"ת כתב סופר יורה דעה סימן קמח
הנה ברך לקחתי ליום מולדתי א' דר"ח אדר שהגעתי בעזה"י לשנת חמשים, והודיתי להשי"ת ברבים על שהחינו וקימנו לזמן הזה וברוך ית"ש הנותן ליעף כח ללמוד וללמד, כן יעזרני למען שמו ותורתו, עד זקנה ושיבה אל יעזבני ואל יטשני, ויהי' עמי כאשר היה עם אבותינו הקדושים זצ"ל להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה, ולגדור פרצי התורה אשר רבו בעו"ה...
ועשיתי ביום ההוא זה היום עשה ד' לי סיום למס' פסחים, ואמרתי ביום א דר"ח בע"מ וויען ברבים בסיום המסכתא.
Responsa Ktav Sofer 178
Behold, I have blessedly taken my birthday, the first day of Adar, on which I have reached the age of 50, and I have thanked God publicly for having enabled us to live, and sustained us to this time. And the Blessed One be He, who gives strength to the weak to learn and teach, may He assist me for His sake and that of His Torah, to old age that he not leave or abandon me. And may He be with me as He was with our holy fathers to increase Torah and glorify it, and to fence in the breaches of the Torah that have increased, due to our sins...
And on that day, the day God fashioned for me, I made a siyyum on Tractate Pesachim. And on the first of Rosh Chodesh Adar I delivered a public talk upon the tractate's completion.
הנה ברך לקחתי ליום מולדתי א' דר"ח אדר שהגעתי בעזה"י לשנת חמשים, והודיתי להשי"ת ברבים על שהחינו וקימנו לזמן הזה וברוך ית"ש הנותן ליעף כח ללמוד וללמד, כן יעזרני למען שמו ותורתו, עד זקנה ושיבה אל יעזבני ואל יטשני, ויהי' עמי כאשר היה עם אבותינו הקדושים זצ"ל להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה, ולגדור פרצי התורה אשר רבו בעו"ה...
ועשיתי ביום ההוא זה היום עשה ד' לי סיום למס' פסחים, ואמרתי ביום א דר"ח בע"מ וויען ברבים בסיום המסכתא.
Responsa Ktav Sofer 178
Behold, I have blessedly taken my birthday, the first day of Adar, on which I have reached the age of 50, and I have thanked God publicly for having enabled us to live, and sustained us to this time. And the Blessed One be He, who gives strength to the weak to learn and teach, may He assist me for His sake and that of His Torah, to old age that he not leave or abandon me. And may He be with me as He was with our holy fathers to increase Torah and glorify it, and to fence in the breaches of the Torah that have increased, due to our sins...
And on that day, the day God fashioned for me, I made a siyyum on Tractate Pesachim. And on the first of Rosh Chodesh Adar I delivered a public talk upon the tractate's completion.
Shaarei Yeshiva (R' Margoliot of Dubnow 1780-1823) 494:6:
On Shavuos we celebrate the birthday of Dovid Hamelech.
On Shavuos we celebrate the birthday of Dovid Hamelech.
Part 3: Great Birthday Customs of Great Rabbis
Make a Party:
Ben Ish Chai: (Ben Yehoyada): One should make his birthday like a Yom Tov.
The day R' Elazar Ben Azaria rose to prominence was on his birthday.
Some have the custom to make every year on their birthday a Yom Tov and it is a good siman, and we do so in our house.”
The Ba’al Shem Tov was known for making a seuda on the eighteenth day of Elul which was the day he was born. Many Chassidim make as seuda on this day as well to commemorate his birth.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged fabrengening, coming together as friends.
The Mazal of a person is strongest on his birthday.
Rav Ovadia Yosef: A birthday party made with Divrei Torah and praise to Hashem would turn the party into a Seudat mitzvah.
Make a Siyum:
When the Chofetz Chaim reached the age of ninety he wrote the "Kuntres Bais Yisroel” and invited some close friends and made a seuda.
The Ktav Sofer made a Siyum on Masechet Pesachim his 50th birthday.
The Chattam Sofer would make a siyum and tell his kids to buy extra milk!
Give Tzedaka:
Rav Yisrael of Salant used to give his age in Tzedaka on his birthday.
Rav Chaim Palagi (Sefardi Chacham) Give extra tzedaka on your birthday as it will impact your personality more significantly.
Ben Ish Chai: Gave out Rugalech on his birthday.
Introspection
The Arvei Nachal (R' Eibeshutz)writes that we should Focus on a particular trait and Hashem will help you on that path.
Chabad Custom: A person must ask himself "Am maximizing my potential"?
Commit yourself to a new mitzvah or Torah project.
Set aside extra time to learn Torah.
Go to a tzaddik and receive a bracha!
Minhagim mentioned in Chabad and Chassidic Circles
Tfillah
Daven for the amud.
Extra Tefillah and Torah on your birthdays.
Say your Tehillim: your age plus 1.
Visit the kotel!
Get an Aliyah on the Shabbos before your birthday, or on the day of your birthday.
Give thanks to Hashem! I'm alive!!!
Make a Party:
Ben Ish Chai: (Ben Yehoyada): One should make his birthday like a Yom Tov.
The day R' Elazar Ben Azaria rose to prominence was on his birthday.
Some have the custom to make every year on their birthday a Yom Tov and it is a good siman, and we do so in our house.”
The Ba’al Shem Tov was known for making a seuda on the eighteenth day of Elul which was the day he was born. Many Chassidim make as seuda on this day as well to commemorate his birth.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged fabrengening, coming together as friends.
The Mazal of a person is strongest on his birthday.
Rav Ovadia Yosef: A birthday party made with Divrei Torah and praise to Hashem would turn the party into a Seudat mitzvah.
Make a Siyum:
When the Chofetz Chaim reached the age of ninety he wrote the "Kuntres Bais Yisroel” and invited some close friends and made a seuda.
The Ktav Sofer made a Siyum on Masechet Pesachim his 50th birthday.
The Chattam Sofer would make a siyum and tell his kids to buy extra milk!
Give Tzedaka:
Rav Yisrael of Salant used to give his age in Tzedaka on his birthday.
Rav Chaim Palagi (Sefardi Chacham) Give extra tzedaka on your birthday as it will impact your personality more significantly.
Ben Ish Chai: Gave out Rugalech on his birthday.
Introspection
The Arvei Nachal (R' Eibeshutz)writes that we should Focus on a particular trait and Hashem will help you on that path.
Chabad Custom: A person must ask himself "Am maximizing my potential"?
Commit yourself to a new mitzvah or Torah project.
Set aside extra time to learn Torah.
Go to a tzaddik and receive a bracha!
Minhagim mentioned in Chabad and Chassidic Circles
Tfillah
Daven for the amud.
Extra Tefillah and Torah on your birthdays.
Say your Tehillim: your age plus 1.
Visit the kotel!
Get an Aliyah on the Shabbos before your birthday, or on the day of your birthday.
Give thanks to Hashem! I'm alive!!!
The Lubavitcher Rebbe:
HaYom Yom, entry for 11th Nissan, [which is the birthday of the Rebbe Shlita לאיוש"ט,] p. 44. [Elsewhere the Rebbe Shlita writes: “Picture in your mind a yechidus that you once had; recall what you asked the Rebbe and what he answered, and then study his teachings.”]
“As to the forthcoming birthday which you write of, on that day you will no doubt observe the recently-established customs of Anash: to be called to the Torah on the birthday itself (if it is a day on which the Torah is read), or otherwise on the preceding Shabbos; to give charity before Shacharis and Minchah on the birthday, or, if it falls on Shabbos or Yom-Tov, on the preceding day; to study an extra session of nigleh and of Chassidus, in addition to one’s regular, daily shiurim and the three shiurim of Chitas2 which apply equally to everyone, as instituted by my revered father-in-law, the [Previous] Rebbe — in Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya.”3
“On one’s birthday one should spend some time in seclusion, bringing to mind recollections from the past and pondering over them. As to those [of his bygone actions] that call for rectification or repentance, one should repent and rectify them.”4
4.
HaYom Yom, entry for 11th Nissan, [which is the birthday of the Rebbe Shlita לאיוש"ט,] p. 44. [Elsewhere the Rebbe Shlita writes: “Picture in your mind a yechidus that you once had; recall what you asked the Rebbe and what he answered, and then study his teachings.”]
[Other letters of the Rebbe Shlita mention additional practices to be observed. For example:
(a) Investing increased time and effort in one’s recitation of the prayers, and meditating on the greatness of the Creator. Likewise, reading chapters of Tehillim with devout concentration, including (if possible) at least one of the five sefarim that comprise the Book of Tehillim.
(b) Studying the psalm which corresponds to one’s new age, and which will now be recited daily throughout the coming year, (e.g., Tehillim 21 for someone turning 20). (Igrois Koidesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, Vol. X, p. 53.) This is done in addition to the practice described by the Previous Rebbe, of studying part of one’s current psalm every Rosh Chodesh: “If the psalm is long, one studies two or more verses each month, and if there are fewer than 12 verses ... then some of them should be repeated, so that the entire psalm is studied in the course of the year.”
(c) Studying a maamar of Chassidus by heart (“from whatever text your heart desires — but conscientiously,” as the Rebbe Shlita writes in a letter). This maamar is then to be recited from memory in the presence of a group of people on the birthday, or on a suitable related occasion, preferably at the Seudah Shelishis of the following Shabbos.
(d) Reaching out to one’s fellow Jews, teaching them Torah in general and Chassidus in particular, in a spirit of true ahavas Yisrael.
(e) Undertaking a new act of piety that is within one’s grasp, or a more scrupulous observance in some particular area, beginning (as the Rebbe Shlitarecommends in a letter) with an additional regular session for the study of Chassidus. As the Rebbe Shlitaonce pointed out in a sichah: Just as it is proper to undertake a new practice of this kind on Rosh HaShanah, so is it appropriate to undertake such a practice on one’s personal Rosh HaShanah — his birthday, when his individual new year begins.
(f) Celebrating with family and friends, giving praise and thanks to the Creator, and (if possible) expressing one’s joy in the fulfillment of a mitzvah by reciting the blessing of Shehecheyanu over one of the season’s new fruits.]
HaYom Yom, entry for 11th Nissan, [which is the birthday of the Rebbe Shlita לאיוש"ט,] p. 44. [Elsewhere the Rebbe Shlita writes: “Picture in your mind a yechidus that you once had; recall what you asked the Rebbe and what he answered, and then study his teachings.”]
“As to the forthcoming birthday which you write of, on that day you will no doubt observe the recently-established customs of Anash: to be called to the Torah on the birthday itself (if it is a day on which the Torah is read), or otherwise on the preceding Shabbos; to give charity before Shacharis and Minchah on the birthday, or, if it falls on Shabbos or Yom-Tov, on the preceding day; to study an extra session of nigleh and of Chassidus, in addition to one’s regular, daily shiurim and the three shiurim of Chitas2 which apply equally to everyone, as instituted by my revered father-in-law, the [Previous] Rebbe — in Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya.”3
“On one’s birthday one should spend some time in seclusion, bringing to mind recollections from the past and pondering over them. As to those [of his bygone actions] that call for rectification or repentance, one should repent and rectify them.”4
4.
HaYom Yom, entry for 11th Nissan, [which is the birthday of the Rebbe Shlita לאיוש"ט,] p. 44. [Elsewhere the Rebbe Shlita writes: “Picture in your mind a yechidus that you once had; recall what you asked the Rebbe and what he answered, and then study his teachings.”]
[Other letters of the Rebbe Shlita mention additional practices to be observed. For example:
(a) Investing increased time and effort in one’s recitation of the prayers, and meditating on the greatness of the Creator. Likewise, reading chapters of Tehillim with devout concentration, including (if possible) at least one of the five sefarim that comprise the Book of Tehillim.
(b) Studying the psalm which corresponds to one’s new age, and which will now be recited daily throughout the coming year, (e.g., Tehillim 21 for someone turning 20). (Igrois Koidesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, Vol. X, p. 53.) This is done in addition to the practice described by the Previous Rebbe, of studying part of one’s current psalm every Rosh Chodesh: “If the psalm is long, one studies two or more verses each month, and if there are fewer than 12 verses ... then some of them should be repeated, so that the entire psalm is studied in the course of the year.”
(c) Studying a maamar of Chassidus by heart (“from whatever text your heart desires — but conscientiously,” as the Rebbe Shlita writes in a letter). This maamar is then to be recited from memory in the presence of a group of people on the birthday, or on a suitable related occasion, preferably at the Seudah Shelishis of the following Shabbos.
(d) Reaching out to one’s fellow Jews, teaching them Torah in general and Chassidus in particular, in a spirit of true ahavas Yisrael.
(e) Undertaking a new act of piety that is within one’s grasp, or a more scrupulous observance in some particular area, beginning (as the Rebbe Shlitarecommends in a letter) with an additional regular session for the study of Chassidus. As the Rebbe Shlitaonce pointed out in a sichah: Just as it is proper to undertake a new practice of this kind on Rosh HaShanah, so is it appropriate to undertake such a practice on one’s personal Rosh HaShanah — his birthday, when his individual new year begins.
(f) Celebrating with family and friends, giving praise and thanks to the Creator, and (if possible) expressing one’s joy in the fulfillment of a mitzvah by reciting the blessing of Shehecheyanu over one of the season’s new fruits.]
Part 4: Birthday Cakes And Candles: Birthday Wishes and Blessings
R' Moshe Dovid Leibovitz, author of Halachikly Speaking:
When extinguishing the candles, one should not blow it out with his mouth. The poskim say it is a danger to do so, especially since this custom stems from the non-Jews. The custom seems to be lenient with this, but one should avoid it if possible.
When extinguishing the candles, one should not blow it out with his mouth. The poskim say it is a danger to do so, especially since this custom stems from the non-Jews. The custom seems to be lenient with this, but one should avoid it if possible.
Birthday Blessings and Birthday Wishes?
(ג) וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
(3) I will bless those who bless you And curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.”
(יח)וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י ה'.
(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD.
The Tiferes Yisrael instructed in his will that his children should write letters to each other on their birthdays.
Part 5: Better not to Celebrate!
R' Kanievsky: Birthdays...Minhag Goyim
ת"ר שתי שנים ומחצה נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים נוח לו לאדם שלא נברא יותר משנברא והללו אומרים נוח לו לאדם שנברא יותר משלא נברא נמנו וגמרו נוח לו לאדם שלא נברא יותר משנברא עכשיו שנברא יפשפש במעשיו ואמרי לה ימשמש במעשיו.
but later reconsidered and did not divorce her, and a resident of his city found him and said: Your name is the same as my name, and your wife’s name is the same as my wife’s name, and we reside in the same town; give me the bill of divorce, and I will use it to divorce my wife, then this document is invalid to divorce with it? Apparently, a man may not divorce his wife with a bill of divorce written for another woman, and the same should apply to the scroll of a sota. The Gemara rejects this argument: How can you compare the two cases? There, with regard to a bill of divorce, it is written: “And he shall write for her” (Deuteronomy 24:1), and therefore we require writing it in her name, specifically for her; whereas here, with regard to a sota, it is written: “And he shall perform with her all this ritual” (Numbers 5:30), and therefore we require performance in her name. In her case, the performance is erasure; however, writing of the scroll need not be performed specifically for her. On the topic of Rabbi Meir and his Torah study, the Gemara cites an additional statement. Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina said: It is revealed and known before the One Who spoke and the world came into being that in the generation of Rabbi Meir there was no one of the Sages who is his equal. Why then didn’t the Sages establish the halakha in accordance with his opinion? It is because his colleagues were unable to ascertain the profundity of his opinion. He was so brilliant that he could present a cogent argument for any position, even if it was not consistent with the prevalent halakha. As he would state with regard to a ritually impure item that it is pure, and display justification for that ruling, and likewise he would state with regard to a ritually pure item that it is impure, and display justification for that ruling. The Sages were unable to distinguish between the statements that were halakha and those that were not. It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Meir was not his name; rather, Rabbi Nehorai was his name. And why was he called by the name Rabbi Meir? It was because he illuminates [meir] the eyes of the Sages in matters of the halakha. And Rabbi Nehorai was not the name of the tanna known by that name; rather, Rabbi Neḥemya was his name, and some say: Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was his name. And why was he called by the name Rabbi Nehorai? It is because he enlightens [manhir] the eyes of the Sages in matters of the halakha. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: The fact that I am more incisive than my colleagues is due to the fact that I saw Rabbi Meir from behind, i.e., I sat behind him when I was his student. Had I seen him from the front, I would be even more incisive, as it is written: “And your eyes shall see your teacher” (Isaiah 30:20). Seeing the face of one’s teacher increases one’s understanding and sharpens one’s mind. And the Gemara stated that Rabbi Abbahu said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Rabbi Meir had a disciple, and his name was Sumakhus, who would state with regard to each and every matter of ritual impurity forty-eight reasons in support of the ruling of impurity, and with regard to each and every matter of ritual purity forty-eight reasons in support of the ruling of purity. It was taught in a baraita: There was a distinguished disciple at Yavne who could with his incisive intellect purify the creeping animal, explicitly deemed ritually impure by the Torah, adducing one hundred and fifty reasons in support of his argument. Ravina said: I too will deliberate and purify it employing the following reasoning: And just as a snake that kills people and animals and thereby increases ritual impurity in the world, as a corpse imparts impurity through contact, through being carried, and by means of a tent, is ritually pure and transmits no impurity, a creeping animal that does not kill and does not increase impurity in the world, all the more so should it be pure. The Gemara rejects this: And it is not so; that is not a valid a fortiori argument, as it can be refuted. A snake is performing a mere act of a thorn. A thorn causes injury and even death; nevertheless, it is not ritually impure. The same applies to a snake, and therefore this a fortiori argument is rejected. Rabbi Abba said that Shmuel said: For three years Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion, and these said: The halakha is in accordance with our opinion. Ultimately, a Divine Voice emerged and proclaimed: Both these and those are the words of the living God. However, the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. The Gemara asks: Since both these and those are the words of the living God, why were Beit Hillel privileged to have the halakha established in accordance with their opinion? The reason is that they were agreeable and forbearing, showing restraint when affronted, and when they taught the halakha they would teach both their own statements and the statements of Beit Shammai. Moreover, when they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai to their own statements, in deference to Beit Shammai. As in the mishna that we learned: In the case of one whose head and most of his body were in the sukka, but his table was in the house, Beit Shammai deem this sukka invalid; and Beit Hillel deem it valid. Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: Wasn’t there an incident in which the Elders of Beit Shammai and the Elders of Beit Hillel went to visit Rabbi Yoḥanan ben HaḤoranit, and they found him sitting with his head and most of his body in the sukka, but his table was in the house? Beit Shammai said to them: From there do you seek to adduce a proof? Those visitors, too, said to him: If that was the manner in which you were accustomed to perform the mitzva, you have never fulfilled the mitzva of sukka in all your days. It is apparent from the phrasing of the mishna that when the Sages of Beit Hillel related that the Elders of Beit Shammai and the Elders of Beit Hillel visited Rabbi Yoḥanan ben HaḤoranit, they mentioned the Elders of Beit Shammai before their own Elders. This is to teach you that anyone who humbles himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exalts him, and anyone who exalts himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, humbles him. Anyone who seeks greatness, greatness flees from him, and, conversely, anyone who flees from greatness, greatness seeks him. And anyone who attempts to force the moment and expends great effort to achieve an objective precisely when he desires to do so, the moment forces him too, and he is unsuccessful. And conversely, anyone who is patient and yields to the moment, the moment stands by his side, and he will ultimately be successful. The Sages taught the following baraita: For two and a half years, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These say: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. And those said: It is preferable for man to have been created than had he not been created. Ultimately, they were counted and concluded: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. However, now that he has been created, he should examine his actions that he has performed and seek to correct them. And some say: He should scrutinize his planned actions and evaluate whether or not and in what manner those actions should be performed, so that he will not sin. MISHNA: The cross beam, which the Sages stated may be used to render an alleyway fit for one to carry within it, must be wide enough to receive and hold a small brick. And this small brick is half a large brick, which measures three handbreadths, i.e., a handbreadth and a half. It is sufficient that the cross beam will be a handbreadth in width, not a handbreadth and a half, enough to hold a small brick across its width. And the cross beam must be wide enough to hold a small brick and also sturdy enough to hold a small brick and not collapse. Rabbi Yehuda says: If it is wide enough to hold the brick, even though it is not sturdy enough to actually support it, it is sufficient. Therefore, even if the cross beam is made of straw or reeds, one considers it as though it were made of metal. If the cross beam is curved, so that a small brick cannot rest on it, one considers it as though it were straight; if it is round, one considers it as though it were square. The following principle was stated with regard to a round cross beam: Any beam with a circumference of three handbreadths is a handbreadth in width, i.e., in diameter.
(כד) זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה ה' נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃
(24) This is the day that the LORD has made— let us exult and rejoice on it.
Part 6: My Personal Birthday Plan:
1) Think of a practical commitment I can make which I can be held accountable for: which will last me until next Birthday!
2) Lots of tfillah, tzedaka, chessed, introspection, chillin w' my holy wife to brainstorm for some Shidduchim! Oh and maybe a smoothy?
3) Brainstorming ideas for lasting commitments:
Your Vote here:
A) Every day Holy Brother/Gadol Story:
B) Continue with Daily Chafetz Chayim learning with my holy wife:
C) Get a Serious Everything Notebook to organize my life and introspection index card box to reflect before Shabbat.
D)Get a serious shidduch pad notebook to be reviewed weekly?
E) Commit myself to a daily Aruch Hashulchan shtik w my bro and chavrutta!
F) Commit to finish the Shlomo Siddur asap...
G) Keep up my Awesome Bracha Chavrutot:
F)Start my shiurim and my meals with Gratitude.
G)Start my dinner with exercise, and end with tea!
H)Don't overcommit yourself to too many projects!
More Ideas Here:
1) Think of a practical commitment I can make which I can be held accountable for: which will last me until next Birthday!
2) Lots of tfillah, tzedaka, chessed, introspection, chillin w' my holy wife to brainstorm for some Shidduchim! Oh and maybe a smoothy?
3) Brainstorming ideas for lasting commitments:
Your Vote here:
A) Every day Holy Brother/Gadol Story:
B) Continue with Daily Chafetz Chayim learning with my holy wife:
C) Get a Serious Everything Notebook to organize my life and introspection index card box to reflect before Shabbat.
D)Get a serious shidduch pad notebook to be reviewed weekly?
E) Commit myself to a daily Aruch Hashulchan shtik w my bro and chavrutta!
F) Commit to finish the Shlomo Siddur asap...
G) Keep up my Awesome Bracha Chavrutot:
F)Start my shiurim and my meals with Gratitude.
G)Start my dinner with exercise, and end with tea!
H)Don't overcommit yourself to too many projects!
More Ideas Here: