My father-in-law, the Rebbe, taught that a birthday is a time for introspection – to take the purpose of one’s life to heart and make resolutions for the future. It is a most propitious time, for on one’s birthday his ‘Mazel’ – his ‘fortune,’ radiates with extra strength. More

My father-in-law, the Rebbe, taught that a birthday is a time for introspection – to take the purpose of one’s life to heart and make resolutions for the future. It is a most propitious time, for on one’s birthday his ‘Mazel’ – his ‘fortune,’ radiates with extra strength.

On one’s birthday he should get together with friends and discuss the meaning of the occasion – that becoming a year older means he is growing in his closeness to G-d. And when a child is old enough, this should be explained to him too, in words that he can comprehend.

Some may object that this was never done before, but clearly, there are more negative influences and events in the world now, so for our part, we must increase in holiness. In fact, the only reason the negative exists in the first place, is to cause a greater increase in holiness and goodness.

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