Living Torah Archives

Before birth, your soul may have basked in the glory of G-d and the Torah, but only in this world can you utilize your individuality to master Torah with your own abilities. In truth, we must always be mindful of this, and approach each day as a new birth. But on a person’s birthday, this lesson is ever more potent.

The food that a child eats and the air that he breathes have an important impact on a child. Likewise, the actions of parents have an effect on the child. Here, however, we learn that even the parents’ conduct before the child is born play an important role in the child’s development.

Chassidim sing the “Nigun of Three Stanzas.” The Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid of Mezritch and the Alter Rebbe each composed one stanza of this meditative song.

The 18th of Elul is the birthday of two “great luminaries,” the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. From the moment of birth, a person’s mission begins. He becomes an active force in the lives of others, and day by day his ability to interact with the world increases. Those blessed with exceptional spiritual capacities immediately radiate holiness around them; they are destined to elevate the world to remarkable divine heights.