The Judaic celebrations of Bar Mitzvah (boys) and Bat Mitzvah (girls) are ceremonies in which a Jewish boy or girl reach their majority -- thirteen years old -- and fully join the rest of their religious community. Bar Mitzvah translates directly from the Hebrew as "one to whom the commandments apply," signifying the maturation of the child into a spiritual adult. Although the term "Bar Mitzvah" is colloquially used to refer to the ceremony, in fact, the celebration is actually just an ordinary Sabbath in which the boy or girl participates in as an adult for the first time; the term itself refers to the person coming of age.
Becoming Bar Mitzvah entails a number of responsibilities. It means that the boy or girl is now morally responsible for their own actions; they can be called to read from the Torah at temple; they can own what they possess (physical property); and perhaps most importantly, they are subject to the 613 laws of the Torah (the five books of Moses). What this means in essence is that the boy or girl is now viewed a full member of the congregation and is entitled to the respect and responsibilities that come with this privilege.
While specific practices vary from congregation to congregation, generally modern Bar Mitzvah celebrations include a few standard practices. First, the boy or girl will be given a chance to recite the blessings from the Torah and/or will be asked to read that week's portion of the Torah and Haftorah (selections from the books of the Prophets); he or she may also be called to lead prayer service for the first time. This is called "aliyah", from the Hebrew "to rise up, to ascend." He or she may also be asked to give a "d'var Torah," a talk on the significance of the weekly Torah selection, something they couldn't do before Bar Mitzvah.
Secondly, the one being Bar Mitzvahed may begin to wear tefillin. Tefillin are two black leather boxes and straps that contain bible verses written on pieces of paper, and serve as symbols of God's deliverance of the Jews from Egypt. Tefillin are worn mainly by Orthodox Jews and are taken very seriously -- those under the age of thirteen are considered too immature to grasp the significance of the relic. The boy or girl my also receive the gift of a tallit, or prayer shawl to wear while reciting morning prayers as well as in the synagogue on Sabbath and holidays.
Lastly, the celebration is often followed by a large meal in which the boy or girl is asked to lead the "Birkat Hamazon" ("Blessings On Nourishment"), a set of special blessings prescribed by Jewish law to be read after a meal that contains bread or matzoh of wheat, rye, barley, spelt, or oats. This is another practice that the boy or girl couldn't perform prior to Bar Mitzvah.
Bar Mitzvahs are often gifted with money and religious objects or books to wish them good fortune in their new roles.
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Will Collins
willc@lcipaper.com
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