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		Chabad.org » Lifecycle Events » Birthday » Etc. » What is a Jewish Birthday

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What is a Jewish Birthday?

One's Jewish birthday is, of course, the date upon which one was born according to the Jewish calendar (to find out when your Jewish birthday is click here).

Far from considering it incidental, Jewish tradition regards one's Jewish birthday to be brimming with meaning and relevance and, in some ways, even a mini-Rosh Hashanah!

The Talmud informs us that on our Jewish birthdays our mazel (good fortune) is dominant.

The Jewish birthday is the perfect day for reflection about our lives as Jews and is an auspicious time to make new resolutions to perform good deeds and to deepen our commitment to Torah and the role it plays in our lives.

On one's Jewish birthday it is customary to get together with family and friends to celebrate Jewishly. At the celebration one should say a prayer of thanks to G-d, give money to charity, and learn some Torah.

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Latest Comments:

Posted: Oct 7, 2011

Tם Julie

I had accidentally given a partial citation. You can find it in the Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashanah, chapter 3, section 8.

May you have a sweet new year!

Posted By Rabbi Menachem Posner

Posted: Oct 6, 2011

Talmud cite

I had been taught that that when one says the Talmud, without specifying Jerusalem or Babylonian, it means Babylonian. Here I learn that's not so! also, could you give the full citation for Jeruaalem 3:8, - i.e. which tractate? Thanks so much!

I'd love to look it up and learn more!

thanks

Posted By Julie, sharon, MA

Posted: Apr 5, 2011

Re: Customs

You can wish the celebrant a successful and productive year, and because their spiritual abilities are particularly strong that day, you can ask to be blessed in return.

Posted By Eliezer Zalmanov, for Chabad.org

Posted: Mar 31, 2011

Customs

Are there any customs for non-birthday celebrant should adhere to on the day? I was invited to a birthday but I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I am Jewish, but have never celebrated a Jewish birthday, so I'm feeling a great deal of apprehension about the day because I don't want to do anything that would offend or take away from the celebration.

Posted By Noam, London

Posted: Oct 10, 2010

To Jacob:

The source for this is Jerusalem Talmud 3:8. There we read that Israel’s enemy, Amalek, chose warriors to fight on their birthday, figuring that a man would not fall in battle on a day when his mazal was dominant. What did Moses do? He “mixed up the mazalot” so that their mazalot were not in effect.

What does it mean that a person’s mazal rules on the day of his birthday? Each of us has a specific spiritual source from which we come and we draw our sustenance. On a person’s birthday, this is particularly strong—increasing his or her abilities.

Posted By Menachem Posner for Chabad.org

Posted: Oct 8, 2010

BIRTHDAY

Dear author
The article states in par 3 that the ' The Talmud informs us that on our Jewish birthdays our mazel (good fortune) is dominant'

Please could you give reference and expand on this?

Posted By jacob, lonon, UK

Posted: Sep 1, 2010

Jewish Birthday for a Convert

In a letter, the Lubavitcher Rebbe advised that a convert celebrate the day that he/she became Jewish as his/her birthday.

Posted By Menachem Posner for Chabad.org, NYC

Posted: Aug 31, 2010

Adoption

We adopted our son and then converted him - when is his Jewish birthday, the date he went to the Mikveh or the date he was actually born?

Posted By Anonymous, Toronto, Canada

Posted: June 30, 2010

To Natalya

First of all, I want to let you know that you share your birthday with someone very special.

As you know, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar is the 9th of Av, the date when – among other tragedies – both Holy Temples were destroyed, leading to our nation's exile from the Holy Land. Nevertheless, our Sages tell us that despite the sadness and pain, this is the birthday of Moshiach, our future redeemer:

"On the day that the Holy Temple was destroyed, a Jew was plowing his field when his cow suddenly called out. An Arab was passing by and heard the low of the cow. Said the Arab: 'Jew, Jew! Unyoke your cow, free the stake of your plow, for your Holy Temple has now been destroyed.' The cow then lowed a second time. Said the Arab: 'Jew, Jew! Yoke your cow, reset the stake of your plow, for the Redeemer has now been born...'"

The redeemer, and with him the potential for redemption, was born the moment after the destruction. So being born on this day is nothing to feel bad about.

I would suggest that while you spend your actual birthday in contemplation and spiritual introspection, you have your birthday celebration—with food, friends and Torah thoughts—a day or two after your actual birthday.

Posted By Menachem Posner for Chabad.org

Posted: June 30, 2010

a Tisha B'av birthday, as well

I was also born on Tisha B'av (early morning, so no ambiguity). Always had a very conflicting attitude towards it... Should I even celebrate it? If so, how? Should I just spend my birthday solemnly and quietly? If so, isn't that disregard for G-d's gift of life?
If anyone has suggestions or good sources to look at, I'd really appreciate it. :)

Posted By Natalya , Baltimore, MD

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