Bar Mitzvah
A Bar Mitzvah is a significant event in Jewish tradition, marking the coming of age for boys at the age of thirteen, when they are considered responsible for observing Jewish commandments, known as mitzvot. This ceremony is akin to a rite of passage, with the boy transitioning from childhood to adulthood within the Jewish community. The process involves a prayer service in a synagogue, where the Bar Mitzvah boy is often called to read from the Torah, accompanied by blessings and celebrations.
The term "Bar Mitzvah" translates to "son of the commandment," highlighting the new responsibilities that come with this age. The ceremony usually occurs after the boy's thirteenth birthday, calculated according to the Jewish calendar. In contrast, girls celebrate their Bat Mitzvah, marking a similar transition at the ages of twelve or thirteen.
The event typically includes a festive meal, which may vary in scale from modest to elaborate, and often involves speeches and expressions of gratitude. Some families choose to celebrate this milestone in Israel at the Western Wall, adding a layer of spiritual significance. Overall, the Bar Mitzvah symbolizes independence and the potential for a meaningful future within the Jewish faith.
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Subject Terms
Bar Mitzvah
A bar mitzvah, a major milestone in the life of a Jewish boy, takes place when he reaches thirteen years of age. For a girl, the milestone is marked at age twelve or thirteen and is called a bat mitzvah or bas mitzvah (depending on pronunciation). The word may be spelled as one, as in barmitzvah or bas(bat)mitzvah, or separated, as in bar (or bat) mitzvah. The bar mitzvah has to take place at least one day following the boy’s date of birth, calculated according to the Jewish calendar. When he reaches bar mitzvah age, and the ceremony is performed, the young boy is considered to have reached manhood in Jewish life. He is obligated to keep the mitzvot or commandments, whereas as a child, his parents took responsibility for his actions. Although, as a youth, he may have been performing the mitzvot, they are now imbued with a more profound meaning. The new status indicates a stage of independence on which he is embarking and is seen to offer the promise of a future filled with potential.
Background
The term bar mitzvah may connote a system of prayers and Torah reading in the synagogue followed by festivities, yet it is more than that. Bar is an Aramaic or Hebrew word meaning "inclusion." Thus, a bar mitzvah is someone who is included in a new category of those who keep the commandments. As a minor, no obligation is necessitated. Thirteen becomes an age when additional knowledge is accrued, and the accompanying understanding places the young man on an elevated level. The same applies to the young woman reaching bat mitzvah age and status.
The specific time for the bar mitzvah comes into effect when the boy is thirteen years and one day old and, for the girl, twelve years and one day in Orthodox denominations and thirteen in Reform and Conservative Judaism. As a woman, she is assumed to have a deeper and more developed emotional and intellectual acumen, reaching this stage a year earlier than a boy. There are allusions and references in the Torah and Talmudic writings denoting the age of thirteen as bar mitzvah age. The Hebrew calendar and date of birth take into account the day starting the night before (after nightfall). This is important in terms of the birth time of the child with regard to determining the correct birthdate, as this has significance for the bar mitzvah.
There are numerous associations with the number thirteen, in addition to the specified age of bar mitzvah and time to take responsibility for mitzvot. These include thirteen attributes of God’s mercy as indicated in the Talmud, thirteen names of God, thirteen principles of faith as elucidated by Maimonides, thirteen expressions of praise of God referenced in the Zohar (Kabbalistic text), thirteen letters in each of the combined names of the Hebrew patriarchs and matriarchs.
From the time of his bar mitzvah, the young man may be counted as one of the ten men in a minyan (the quorum of ten men for prayer). He may also be called up to read from the Torah at a synagogue service.
Overview
When a boy becomes bar mitzvah, he begins to put on tefillin (phylacteries). The custom is generally to put on tefillin for the first time at least one month prior to the bar mitzvah. This gives the bar mitzvah boy the opportunity to become accustomed to the mitzvah (commandment) and the corresponding laws. Tefillin are placed on the arm and head (in a specific spot) at the time of daily morning weekday prayers, but not on the Sabbath or festivals.
Aliyah refers to the bar mitzvah boy being called up to say the blessing for reading the Torah in the synagogue. When this occurs, he is called by his Hebrew name plus ben (son of) his father’s Hebrew name. A boy may be called up for the Torah reading on the day of the week the Torah is read in the synagogue if it is a weekday, or on the Sabbath, or both. Most bar mitzvah boys read aloud from the Torah on the Sabbath, marking their Bar Mitzvah. Blessings are said, and depending on custom and ability, the boy may read sections of the Torah (Maftir and Haftarah) or the entire Torah portion (parsha) of the week. The bar mitzvah boy is accompanied by his father, who recites a blessing that changes the status of responsibility from the father to his now manhood-age son.
A festive meal with at least a quorum of ten men is required as part of the celebration. Thanks are given for arriving at this moment. The father may give a speech expressing gratitude and may deliver an inspiring message to his son. The bar mitzvah boy delivers his words of thanks to his parents and offers insights he has learned relating to the Torah portion connected to his bar mitzvah. The way the festive meal is celebrated can be anything from a modest affair to a lavish celebration. Food and beverages flow; there may be live music, theme-designed décor, and a range of numbers of guests. While the party aspect may be enjoyed, the main point of the day is the holiness, highlighting the young man’s transition to adulthood and the acquisition of mitzvot (commandments). The family’s rabbi will help guide and coordinate aspects of the bar mitzvah milestone and rite of passage so that the bar mitzvah boy enters this stage of his life in the most appropriate and revered way.
Some families decide to celebrate the boy’s bar mitzvah in Israel at the Kotel, the Western Wall. This may be arranged through the administrative foundation or on a personal basis.
In the event of special needs, with the help of an authority on Halakhah (Jewish law), a special service might be arranged. This will take into account the particular physical or emotional conditions pertinent to the child.
There is a custom for a man attaining the age of eighty-three to celebrate a second bar mitzvah. This is not obligatory but a ceremonial occasion of thanks that is highly regarded. Reaching eighty-three marks seventy years plus thirteen (bar mitzvah age) of life.
Bibliography
“Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation.” Judaism 101, www.jewfaq.org/bar‗mitzvah. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.
"Jewish Practices & Rituals: Bar/Bat Mitzvah." Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/bar-bat-mitzvah. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.
Overby, Ken. “Bar Mitzvah and the Age of Accountability.” Jewish Awareness Ministries, 1 Apr. 2022, www.jewishawareness.org/bar-mitzvah-and-the-age-of-accountability. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.
Schermann, Nosson, and Zlotowitz, Meir, editors. Bar Mitzvah. Mesorah Publication Ltd., 1991.
Shurpin, Yehuda. “Why Are Bar and Bat Mitzvah at 13 and 12?” Chabad, www.chabad.org/library/article‗cdo/aid/2957494/jewish/Why-Are-Bar-and-Bat-Mitzvah-at-13-and-12.htm. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.