The following paragraph is from Dr. Asher Eder’s book The Star of David, which was published in 1987 in English in Jerusalem by Rubin Mass
Ltd. The publication here is courtesy of Oren Mass
Fate and destiny are by no means identical. While fate is the "power predetermining events", destiny is the "appointed lot". Generally speaking, it is everyone's fate to be born into this material world ("born by woman"), to live therein and to die, but this fate does not determine h o w one lives or dies. There is truth in the saying: "No one is responsible for the face he is born with, but everyone is responsible for the face he dies with."
To bring a more specific example, someone may, in accordance with his astrological sign, have to marry at a certain age; but this gives no indication as to how the marriage proceeds. Someone may have to play a leading role in society, and may even reach such a position, but his real destiny, or "appointed lot", would be to officiate, once there, as a truly human being, for the lasting benefit and honor of society.
Fate has to do with outer circumstances, while it is everyone's destiny to raise himself above these outer circumstances into the truly human, or Divine, sphere. This requires that the will says "yes" to destiny. God's eternal question to Adam "Where are you?", is to induce us to say this "YES".
Fate, destiny and will, if equally strong and balanced, form an energy field which can be depicted as an equilateral triangle. While fate and destiny might be different for each individual, the will to truly say "yes" to our Divine call leads to unity and harmony within one's own self and with our neighbors, as expressed by the triangles merged into a harmonious six-pointed star (see chpt. Love of Neighbor).
The following paragraph is from Dr. Asher Eder’s book The Star of David, which was published in 1987 in English in Jerusalem by Rubin Mass Ltd. The publication here is courtesy of Oren Mass