Friday, July 08, 2005

Lucky Day!

Talmud Bavli, Masechet Shabbat, 156a

It was recorded in R. Joshua b. Levi's notebook: He who [is born] on the first day of the week [Sunday] shall be a man without one [thing] in him — What does 'without one [thing] in him' mean? Shall we say, without one virtue? Surely R. Ashi said: I was born on the first day of the week! Hence it must surely mean, one vice. But Surely R. Ashi said: I and Dimi b. Kakuzta were born on the first day of the week: I am a king and he is the captain of thieves! — Rather it means either completely virtuous or completely wicked. What is the reason? Because light and darkness were created on that day.

He who is born on the second day of the week will be bad-tempered — What is the reason? Because the waters were divided thereon. (Division or disunity is caused by bad temper. — Rashi: so will he be estranged from other people (through his temper).

He who is born on the third day of the week will be wealthy and unchaste. What is the reason? Because herbs were created thereon. (Herbs multiply very rapidly and also continually intermingle with other herbs.)

He who is born on the fourth day of the week will be wise and of a retentive memory('Aruk. Rashi: bright, lustrous. ). What is the reason? Because the luminaries were suspended [thereon]

He who is born on the fifth day of the week will practise benevolence. What is the reason? Because the fishes and birds were created thereon. (Which are fed by God's lovingkindness.)

He who is born on the eve of the Sabbath will be a seeker. R. Nahman b. Isaac commented: A seeker after good deeds. (Just as on the eve of the Sabbath one seeks to complete the details necessary for the proper observance of the Sabbath.)

He who is born on the Sabbath will die on the Sabbath, because the great day of the Sabbath was desecrated on his account. Raba son of R. Shila observed: And he shall be called a great and holy man.

http://www.come-and-hear.com/shabbath/shabbath_156.html

I thought this was a curious thing to see in the Gemara and I'm sure there are many examples where this simplistic breakdown of personality determination breaks down, but I'd also like to point out that I was born on a Wednesday. ;-)

Where do you match up? If you don't know offhand, see here and look it up.

Also, who thinks that this is the meta-meaning for the days of Genesis which Slifkin spoke about? ;-)

5 comments:

BrooklynWolf said...

Another Wednesday person here.

Of course, according to the famous poem, we're full of woe.

The Wolf

Ben Avuyah said...

I'm a monday baby, and behold my foul temper explained at last...

I think the best part of this sugya is the attempt at empirical observation !!

"I and Dimi b. Kakuzta were born on the first day of the week: I am a king and he is the captain of thieves!"

It could've been a turning point for Judaism, as in, let's see what works and what is true and verifiable and what is not..based on observation of the actuality of the world !

But alas it was a short glimmer of rationale and was not meant to last.

Sarah said...

"seeker of good deeds" ... darn ... Wednesday's so much cooler. Who has memory boosting exercises for me? ;)

Avi said...

Notice that there is no mention of babies born on Holidays. Babies born on Rosh Hasona, Yom Kippur, Succos, July 4 should have something said about them also. Completely blank on that one.

My Boro Park said...

What about the singles waiting to be married. People collect $$$$$$ for hachnasas kala but do nothing for singles