By: Rabbi Mendy Wolf
Why celebrate a birthday? Does one digit really make a difference? A celebration should be about reaching an accomplishment!
This has been bothering me all week…and then it hit me:
Achievements are born through recognizing the value of a day.
Day by day we convert a dream into a reality. So a birthday is really a healthy reminder of, “Nu…any update? Has anything changed?”
There is a powerful chassidic saying: “Years are not measured by the passport.”
Indeed, a birthday is not about celebrating our growing independence. On the contrary, it is about recognizing our vulnerability. We were once not here; we were brought here for a reason. We have a purpose.
A birthday is an opportune time. Kabbalah teaches that when one genuinely asks God to bless another person, his words are accepted, for a sincere heart breaks through all the gates of heaven. This is especially potent on an auspicious day, such as the day of one’s birth.
Rabbi Mendy Wolf is the educational director for the Institute of American & Talmudic Law, and the director for Project Life, an organization which promotes Jewish values throughout the business community in NYC. R’ Mendy is a sought after teacher and lecturer and resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and family. Contact Rabbi Mendy to book him to speak or with feedback at mwolf@iatlaw.org.
