בס׳ד

"Where does it say that you have a contract with G-d to have an easy life?"

the Lubavitcher Rebbe



"Failure is not the enemy of success; it is its prerequisite."

Rabbi Nosson Scherman



13 Feb 2011

A reason to celebrate

Bereishit - Genesis - Chapter 40
כ. וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת פַּרְעֹה וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים וְאֶת רֹאשׁ שַׂר הָאֹפִים בְּתוֹךְ עֲבָדָיו:
20. Now it came about on the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, that Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants, and he counted the chief cupbearer and chief baker among his servants.
http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8235/jewish/Chapter-40.htm

The Israeli website Bechadrei Chareidim published a post about Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky's visit to a hospital and a question that was asked of the Torah scholar. Forgive me if something gets lost in the translation. Click here to read the article in Hebrew.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky was visiting Tel Hashomer Hospital when a person who had accompanied him approached the Rav and asked him for a blessing.
"It's my birthday," explained the man who made the request.
The Rav said that we find in the Torah that only Pharaoh celebrated his birthday.
Someone took the opportunity to ask the Rav, "Why celebrate a birthday at all? A man celebrating his birthday is one step closer to his death, so why should he celebrate?
Rav Kanievsky replied that when is says in the Talmud that "it would have been better for man had he not been born", Tosfot explained that these words referred to wicked people. But if we are referring to righteous people, it is good for them and good for the world. That is definitely a reason to celebrate.

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