Candles 🕯 on a birthday cake 🎂

JoyInTheMorning

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:06 pm

I think blowing out candles is not recommended during a pandemic. When you think about it, why would you want to spew saliva onto a cake that others will eat, even when it's not a pandemic?

Otherwise, I don't know why it would not be allowed by Halacha.

amother

Cerise

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:07 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Is blowing out candles on a birthday cake allowed or assur?

Asking genuinely and seriously and according to Halacha

My dh says it's non jewish to have candles on bday cake. Wink

He also doesn't blow out candles in general, something to do with ner Hashem nishmas adam or kabbalah. He's rather wave his hand over it to make wind to blow it iut, or pour something in it. But I will Google and post what I find

amother

Cerise

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:09 pm

While a birthday party should include some delicious birthday cake, one might want to consider avoiding the practice of lighting candles on the cake, as it’s actually an evil pagan custom, according to Philochorus, the Greek historian. It was even believed that birthday candles have the power to make dreams come true, hence the custom of making a wish before blowing out the candles.[12] It is also worth noting that blowing out candles at any time is to be discouraged, due to the close symbolic connection between a candle and a soul.[13]

From
https://www.torahmusings.com/2.....ys-2/

amother

Cerise

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:10 pm

And more from
https://dinonline.org/2017/10/.....cake/

1) Is it true that the practice of blowing out candles on a birthday cake may stem from avoda zara practices? Is it permitted?
2) How about “making a wish” — making a wish and then blowing out the candle surely seems strange to an orthodox Jew! Is it permitted?

Answer:
You should not do any of these practices. You can have a birthday cake, but without candles and without blowing them out. You are right this practice has pagan and avodah zara roots. Having candles on a birthday cake is a Christian practice in the church to blow out candles according to the age of the person. There is another source for this,. not much better. In Greek times, people on their birthday would try to find favor in the eyes of the moon goddess, Artemis. In an attempt to do so, they would make round cakes (to symbolize the full moon) and light candles on top (to symbolize the light of the moon.) They would then ask the moon goddess to grant their requests. Therefore blowing out the candles and even lighting them should not be done.

Sources:
V’yitzbar Yitzchok 1-51, RJJ Journal of Contemporary Halacha 54 pg. 73.

FranticFrummie

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:11 pm

I'm not superstitious, this is just what was told to me.

It's better to shake a match out, and not to blow candles on a cake. I was told that blowing out a candle was sort of like extinguishing a life. Aish, ish, isha, etc.

FranticFrummie

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:17 pm

amother [ Cerise ] wrote:

In Greek times, people on their birthday would try to find favor in the eyes of the moon goddess, Artemis.

Artemis (/ˈɑːrtɪmɪs/; Greek: Ἄρτεμις Artemis, Attic Greek: [ár.te.mis]) is the Greek goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, and chastity. The goddess Diana is her Roman equivalent.

In Greek mythology, Selene (/sɪˈliːniː/; Ancient Greek: Σελήνη [selɛ̌ːnɛː] "Moon") is the goddess of the Moon. She is the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia and sister of the sun god Helios and Eos, goddess of the dawn.

Just sayin'. Wink

Teomima

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:41 pm

I have honestly never heard of this, no one I know has (based on the fact that every birthday cake I've seen had candles...up until covid, that is) and I really think this is an example of things not having any historical or religious significance unless you give it that meaning.

That said, I respect those for whom this (not using/blowing out birthday candles) is their minhag. But calling it against halacha seems like a bit of a stretch to me.

chanatron1000

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:44 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Actually, though that is accurate, the ancient Greeks themselves did conflate the two.

amother

Royalblue

Tue, Nov 17 2020, 11:57 pm

I am not aware of any Halacha that forbids birthday candles but we do not have the custom (we're Lubavitch) as the origin is Roman and blowing out a flame, in general, is symbolic of blowing out a neshama.

amother

Goldenrod

Wed, Nov 18 2020, 12:03 am

I can see why someone might want to avoid blowing out candles. It's not a violation of halacha when something is so far removed from its origins, but I respect the sensitivity.

That said, a few behaviors in the frum world skate close to avoda zara.

A number of idolatrous cultures have a taboo about not cutting a baby's hair until the child is a certain age. The hair is cut in a ceremony at a temple.

I have read on this site about ostensibly frum people getting messages from poured lead.

The segula of lighting candles for 40 days lilui nishmas R. Menachem Mendel of Riminov, followed by a public declaration of thanks, is identical to the Catholic tradition of novenas to St. Jude.

It's interesting why some practices are acceptable and some are not.

essie14

Wed, Nov 18 2020, 12:34 am

Teomima wrote:

Same. The only candle I don't blow out is the havdalah candle.
This may be a cultural thing but it's not against halacha.

amother

Gray

Wed, Nov 18 2020, 12:37 am

Personally I think, as a geder we really shouldn't have cakes either. Not on birthdays for sure, maybe never. Cupcakes would be safek. Cookie, Ice cream, mousse and jello definitely OK-but don't have red jello as it might be maris ayin that you used food-dye from bugs.

essie14

Wed, Nov 18 2020, 12:38 am

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

Big pet peeve of mine.
There are so many Jewish practices which are identical to avoda Zara practices, yet are considered not only acceptable, but preferable.
I've seen people clutch their pearls in horror upon hearing that a boy has his hair cut before 3 years old. Newsflash! Not my minhag.