I recently read in the sefer Yismach Lev that one of the Brisker Rav’s once gave a chosen a bracha of Mazel Tov. The chossen said back, Rebbe give me a real bracha. The Brisker Rav said back that the bracha Mazel Tov is the ultimate bracha and includes all brachas. My question is what does that mean. I know the concept of Mazel is quite complicated but does the rav have a basic answer about why klal yisrael gives the bracha of mazel tov? The gemara seems to says that Klal Yisrael is above mazel so what is pshat?
Answer:
I have not seen an explanation of this; the following is just a possible idea (see also Rashi, Bereishis 30:11).
On the one, hand, the Gemara (according to one opinion) does say that Israel is above Mazal.
But on the other, the Gemara also writes that “everything depends on Mazal, even a Sefer Torah in its Heichal.”
How are these two idea reconciled.
It appears that on the one hand, Israel is above the concept of Mazal in its simple meaning: We can transcend the fixed order of the zodiac that generally influence the happenings and the natures of people.
However, on a loftier meaning, there is nothing that can transcend Mazal, for it represents the hidden ways in which Hashem brings all things to reach their ultimate destiny. In this sense, Mazal represents a level of Divine Direction that we are all part of, and that raises us towards our tachlis.
It is perhaps for this reason that at central junctures of our lives (bar-mitzvah, marriage, birth, and so on) we wish each other Mazal Tov, meaning that the expressions of Mazal should be “Tov,” reaching ever towards the destiny for which we are here.
All the best and kind regards.
