Chassidic Vision

Rabbi Yonasan Beitz

The Power of Birthdays and the Baal Shem Tov

The Baal Shem Tov was born on the 18th of Elul in 1698. His birthday signifies a new era in the history of the world and especially the Jewish world.

When a person is born, a new cosmic force is introduced into the world. The constellations provide the medium for the flow of energy between the physical and the spiritual. It is compared to a lens that focuses the rays of the sun onto a specific spot causing the area to heat up. This birthday phenomenon reoccurs every year at the same time.

This spiritual alignment occurs, for example, when a tzaddik is in this world and even when they are physically removed from the world.

Picture this: the constellations, at the time of the Besht’s birth, are similar also to this huge lens that focuses all the good, spiritual energies onto this emerging baby, the Baal Shem Tov.

Already before the baby was born Eliyahu informed the father that he was going to have a son. He would be a very special soul who would bring the Jewish people “back to life.” At the time, there were horrific pogroms that devastated entire Jewish communities, and, within these communities, there were many dividing opinions between the scholars and the simple people.

Adam HaRishon was considered a ‘general soul” for mankind. In other words, all the souls that were to come into the world were rooted in the soul of Adam, hence, a “general soul.”

Yaacov Avinu is considered the “root soul” of all the Jews who were destined to be born into the world. From this, it is said that the Baal Shem Tov was a “general soul,” the source of all the roots and branches of all the Chassidim and those who became Chassidic.

On a birthday the mazal gavah [the strengthening of good spiritual flow] which occurs during the 24 hours which surround a birthday, can be compared to a person standing on a high mountain and looking downward. The person, on this high mountain, is able to plan a long journey because they can see the road ahead which normally would not have been perceived. Translating this idea into practical, everyday service, means that, on the birthday a person is given extra good spiritual energy to strengthen their service to Hashem. This includes their prayer, giving charity, and learning Torah. The person is given the strength to make a good resolution regarding the increase of the three types of service.

When it comes to duties of the heart (having love and fear for the Almighty) there are different qualities and quantities of love and fear.

We are speaking about the type of service meaning “connecting the person with Hashem.” When we talk about “quantity” we mean the amount of time a person spends praying while “quality” refers to the level of focus and concentration that this service requires.

On a birthday, as we said above, extra energy is infused into the person and can be used for either quantity or quality. If a person is limited by the amount of time, then they can compensate with quality, i.e., more concentration and more focus. This means removing interference and creating an environment conducive to the actualization of extra concentration and focus.

In the service of charity, we can also increase in quality and quantity. If the person is limited by the amount (quantity) of charity, they can increase in quality i.e., giving pleasantly and joyfully, making the recipient feel worthy of receiving and being comfortable.

In the area of learning Torah, we can increase in quantity and quality. Once again, if the person is unable to learn for an extended period of time (quantity) we can increase in terms of quality i.e., learning in a non-distracted manner and putting additional energy and excitement into learning. When a person stops learning we can even continue to review and innovate what we have learned.

We have a tradition from the Besht’s childhood--he had the good habit of going into the forest to pray. When asked “Aren't you afraid?” he would reply, “My father told me two things before he left the world: 1)only fear G-d, and 2) love every Jew.” This became the basic Chassidic foundation of all the subsequent Chassidic factions.

These two qualities above are magnified during the 24 hours surrounding the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov. Anyone who would like to make a new year's resolution before Rosh HaShanah in these two areas is given supernal assistance in carrying out the resolutions.

Our fear of Hashem (awe) must be included with love, for they are two wings of a bird that are necessary to fly. Love of Hashem is especially expressed as love for another. We love what our Lover (Hashem) loves!

When these three areas (Torah, prayer, and charity) are increased, we place ourselves in a favorable position to be a clean and good “vessel” for Divine flow for a good and sweet new year.

We look forward to the ultimate good with the arrival of Moshiach, the gathering of the Jews to the Land of Israel, and the building of the Third Temple.

May it be speedily in our days!