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Chabad.org » Lifecycle Events » Birthday » Etc. » Why Celebrate My Birthday?
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Why Celebrate My Birthday?

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Question:

It's my birthday this weekend but I have always felt funny about celebrating it. My birth was a bit of an accident -- my parents said I was a surprise, and I was born six weeks premature. Is there any meaning in celebrating the day that I wasn't really supposed to have been born?

Answer:

Your birthday is chosen by G-d -- not your parents, your astrologer or the obstetrician. Birth is G-d saying that the world can't go on without you. It is the day that your soul's mission had to begin.

There were already nearly six billion people on earth when you were born. Did the world really need you? Can one more soul really make a difference? Obviously the answer is yes; otherwise G-d would not have sent your soul to this earth. The fact that you were born means there must be some unique gift that you have to offer the world that none of those other six billion people could possibly achieve.

There were already nearly six billion people on earth when you were born. Did the world really need you?Your birthday is an opportunity to reflect: This is the day that my soul was dispatched on its mission. How is the mission going? Have I been contributing my part to the furthering of G-d's purpose to create heaven on earth? Have I been doing my bit to enhance and improve myself and my world? How much time and energy do I spend on meaningful pursuits? How much time could I add to that amount in the coming year?

Far from being an accident, your birth was clearly a deliberate act. The fact that you surprised your parents and arrived early just shows how urgently the world needed you -- your soul couldn't even wait a few weeks for the due date to get down here. G-d had another due date in mind.

Your soul was sent down by priority delivery. Make sure your soul always remains a priority.

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By Aron Moss   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Rabbi Aron Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org.
About the artist: Sarah Kranz has been illustrating magazines, webzines and books (including five children’s books) since graduating from the Istituto Europeo di Design, Milan, in 1996. Her clients have included The New York Times and Money Marketing Magazine of London

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Feb 13, 2011
Birthdays are so Special
I absolutely love this post! I never cared for my birthday (Dec. 31st). It seemed everybody went to a party, but me. When I was a child, school was still in recess so the few parites my parents gave me came a week late. Being so close to Christmas, I got a lot of "joint" presents (Birthday and Christmas combined). It was always just another day.

Then I gave birth to four incredible, precious human beings (one of which was a surprise) and found the importance of not only celebrating their special day, but mine as well. I too believe their souls were meant to be on this earth for they have created such happiness with everyone they meet. And I was destin to be their mother. By some spiritual power (which I believe to be God), our journey was woven among the stars long before we landed here on earth.

Truly beautiful expression. Thank you to whoever wrote this.
Posted By Jackie, Los Altos, CA

Posted: Oct 26, 2010
Birthdays are another pointess day for consumption
Birthdays are similar to most American holidays. They consist of 3 rules:

Materialism, gluttony and wasteful consumption.

Birthdays are also a very egotistical and self-centered day. "It's my special day" screams the intoxicated college student while chugging beer at the bar.

I don't celebrate any day that promotes materialism, gluttony and wasteful consumption. Can't we just have family and friend get-togethers without having a financial transaction?

With all the pain and suffering occurring worldwide, it just seems wrong to celebrate surviving 365 days in this spoiled nation.
Posted By Mark, Kansas City, MO

Posted: Sep 2, 2010
wooow... i always wanted to die and you just made me not to want that anymore... Thank you =)
Posted By Anonymous, San Jose, CA

Posted: Aug 1, 2009
Amazing
THANK YOU SO MUCH, i really don't know how to thank the one who wrote this answer, it really makes sense. You made my day, thanks a lot.
Posted By Anonymous

Posted: July 24, 2009
Why are there evil people?
One person asked why evil people were made. Well, if there weren't any evil, there would be no good. And plus, nobody is really evil because evil is just the absence of good. So, you can be good, less good, not-so good, but still, everyone is good (or whatever word you want to say). So, God didn't make evil people, he just made people who were less good than others.
Posted By Abigail Miller, St. Louis, MO

Posted: June 5, 2009
Hmm, interesting answer.
That is an interesting answer to a question like that. I was wondering the same thing about myself, and it helped. Thanks to whoever wrote that answer.
Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Feb 23, 2009
Answer
This is a great answer to such an interesting question. I don't think I have ever heard an explination like that. Great job to whoever answered this question.
Posted By Jen, Dunseith, ND

Posted: Feb 4, 2009
why celebrate a birthday
if it is true that G-d sent us here because we are needed, why are so many evil people born. The world could have lived without them.
Posted By Anonymous, new york, new york

Posted: Mar 26, 2008
Intruder in the universe?
We can all feel that we are "out of place" in the world - because we are - because the world is not yet the place it should be . We are sent to do our work to help to make it right. If we feel "at home" then, there is something wrong with us. So, all of us "out of place people" have to work extra hard to love our fellows and do our work even though we are not always comfortable.
Posted By Pnina Usherovitz, Mercaz Sapir, Israel

Posted: Jan 9, 2008
I am a single mother who thanks G-d everyday for the honor of motherhood. While my circmstances are not ideal, G-d knew me well enough to know that no circumstance or relationship would have (at the time) ever lived up to my standards and that I would have perpetually waited a lifetime before "planning" such a precious event. Whether or not a child is "wanted" does not depend on whether or not the parents were married, loved each other or even planned to conceive; it has to do if they in fact wanted you to exist or not after learning of conception, period! Having said that. It is of my opinion that depending on the circumstance (as mentioned) if parents rejects their own child then at least that child must assume G-d wanted you here so much so that your existence was of greater importance than the convenience or happiness of that child's parents.
Posted By Anonymous, Woodbridge, CT



 


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