On Your Birthday – You Got Mazel
Mazel is Luck
“On your birthday, your mazel is strong.”
States the Talmud the ancient encyclopedia of Jewish wisdom.
The word Mazel literally means “a drip from above.”
Mazel can have different connotations depending on how it used, but they are all connected to this basic definition—something trickling down from above, ie Luck.
The signs of the zodiac are called mazalot. Jewish tradition sees the constellations on high as directing the destiny of individuals and nations down below.
Thus mazel is the influence dripping down from the stars. Over the years, Mazel came to mean “luck.
When the Talmud says in other places, that we are not subject to mazel, it means that we are not limited to our destiny; rather, our own actions determine our fate. We create our luck.
When we tell someone Mazel Tov (good mazel), we are giving them a blessing:
May this drip of inspiration from your soul above not dissipate, but rather have a positive and lasting effect, that from this event onwards you should live your life with higher consciousness. You should be aware of the blessings in your life, and be ready to receive more and more.
In other words: Good Mazel!
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