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<font size=3>The following is an excerpt from the article
<i>"Segulot, Superstitions, & Darchei Emori" </i>that
appears on pages 63 - 75 of the Fall 2007 (Number LIV) issue of <b>The
Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society</b>.<br><br>
Finally, we have the truly pagan superstitions. The classic example of
this is blowing out candles at a birthday party and making a wish. To
fully appreciate this we must consider the source of this
custom.<br><br>
In Greek times, people on their birthday would try to find favor in the
eyes of the moon goddess, Artemis. [49] 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.<br><br>
ln light of that, telling the birthday boy or girl to blow out the
candles and "make a wish" seems problematic. In fact, one could
ask about the permissibility of the candles being there at all! This,
however, is permitted. The Maharik, quoted by <i>Darchei Moshe</i>
(179:1), states that the violation of following in<br>
the paths of the Gentiles applies only when there is no <i>rational</i>
reason for doing something other than to be similar to the Gentiles. This
would not apply to candles, as they make the birthday cake more exciting,
and children appreciate the fact that there is one candle there for each
of their years. Round cakes as well are the normal shape of most
icing-type cakes, and are not made intentionally round for
birthdays.<br><br>
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[49.] Gibbons, Happy Birthday, (New York, 1986). Others disagree
with this, but by almost all accounts, it is a tradition based on
idolatry.<br>
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