Bar and Bat Mitzvah
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Jewish law, when Jewish children reach 13 years old for boys and 12 years old for girls they become responsible for their actions, and "become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah" (English: Daughter (Bat) or Son (Bar) of the commandments). In many Conservative and Reform synagogues, girls celebrate becoming a Bat Mitzvah at age 12[1], along with boys at 13. This also coincides with physical puberty.[2] Prior to this, the child's parents hold the responsibility for the child's adherence to Jewish law and tradition. After this age, children bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life.[3] Sometimes the ceremony itself is erroneously referred to as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
In Orthodox Jewish observance, the occasion of becoming a Bar Mitzvah involves the young man being called to read the Torah, a Haftarah portion, or both at a Shabbat or other service (Thursday morning, Monday morning or a festival) when the Torah is read, and may also involve giving a d'var Torah, a discussion of that week's Torah portion. In non-Orthodox congregations a Bat Mitzvah may include a similar service for a woman. Precisely what the Bar/Bat Mitzvah may do during the service varies in Judaism's different denominations and can also depend on the specific practices of various congregations. Regardless of the nature of the celebration, males become entirely culpable and responsible for following Jewish law once they reach the age of 13, and females once they reach the age of 12.
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[edit] Responsibilities
Whoever becomes Bar or Bat Mitzvah has the responsibilities of an adult Jew under Jewish law. These include:- Moral responsibility for own actions
- Eligibility to be called to read from the Torah and participate in a Minyan (In Orthodox denominations, only males read from the Torah or participate in a Minyan)
- May possess personal property
- May be legally married according to Jewish law
- Must follow the 613 laws of the Torah
- At times the child boy or girl has to postpone if the father and mother think it necessary.
[edit] Modern practices
[edit] Jewish boys
[edit] Aliyah
Calling someone to say the Torah blessings during a service is called an Aliyah (from the Hebrew: עֲלִיָּה, from the verb la'alot, לעלות, meaning, "to rise, to ascend; to go up"). The widespread practice is that on the Shabbat one or more days after his 13th birthday, a boy may recite the blessings for the Torah reading. He may also read the week's portion from the Torah (five books of Moses) and Haftara (selections from the books of the Prophets), give a d'var Torah which may include a discussion of that week's Torah portion, or both. He may also lead part or all of the morning prayer services. Precisely what the Bar Mitzvah should lead during the service varies from one congregation to another and is not fixed by Jewish law. Sometimes the celebration is during another service that includes reading from the Torah, such as a Monday or Thursday morning service, a Shabbat afternoon service, or a morning service on Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon.[edit] Celebratory meal
The service often precedes a celebratory meal with family, friends, and members of the community. In some modern communities, most notably among affluent North American Jews, this celebratory meal can eclipse the religious ceremony itself, often rivaling a wedding celebration in extravagance.Some communities may delay the celebration for reasons such as availability of a Shabbat during which no other celebration has been scheduled, or due to the desire to permit family to travel to the event. However, this does not delay the onset of rights and responsibilities of being a Jewish adult which comes about strictly by virtue of age.
After the celebratory bar mitzvah meal, it is traditional for the celebrant to lead the Birkat Hamazon, something he could not do as a minor.