Are Birthday Candles Jewish?

Question :
Fire symbolizes the human spirit.
But why should we extinguish the candles on birthdays.
Isn't it better to keep it lit?

Rabbi's explanation please Reply

hypocrisy So is the afikomen and the names of our months. and kaporos is babylonian. What's your point? Reply

Philochorus I think you mean Philochorus, not Philchorus. Reply

Interesting I did not know of any pagan origin to candles. I always thought we lit them to celebrate life and health. Symbolically I always put an extra candle so there is one candle for each year lived and one for the upcoming year (a prayer that it may be fully lived). Practically, the candles must be blown out before the cake can be served. Leaving them to drip wax on the cake all night doesn't work well. The tradition of trying to blow them all out in one breath is a sort of test of breath - a full and powerful breath proving health. As the candles get more numerous the breath control it requires to blow them out is an expression of the growing self-disciple and self-control of the individual - another important quality for health and happiness. The reward for such health and discipline is yummy cake! Reply

PERFECT! short and straight to the point. great explanation rabbi. Reply