In this article I will be investigating this milestone in a Jewish child’s life and why it is so important.
What is it?
Bar/Bat – in Hebrew Bar means son and Bat means daughter. The word Mitzvah means Commandment but it also has the added meaning of an ‘honour’ – a deed one does in order to follow the Commandments. It symbolises the child’s initiation into religious adulthood.
From now on, the child is morally responsible for his or her actions, good or bad.
Background
None of our Patriachs or David or Moses were Bar Mitzvah. In Biblical times young men had to be twenty before they were considered to be an adult and could become priests.
The age of thirteen seems to be a significant one in the Torah – a Jewish legend says that at the age of thirteen Abram (later to become Abraham) looked up into the Heavens and concluded there was a God. He then smashed the idols in his father’s house.
At thirteen Jacob and Esau went their separate ways – Jacob worshipped God and Esau worshipped idols.
During the period of the Second Temple in Israel ( 516 BCE to 70 CE) fathers would bring their thirteen year old sons to the Temple in Jerusalem to receive a blessing.
At thirteen a boy could become a member of the Beit Din (the Jewish Court), and make up a Minyan (quorum of ten men needed for community worship).
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries it became customary in the Synagogue to call up a boy to read from the Torah on the Shabbat that was closest to his thirteenth birthday.
When?
Until 1922 it was only Jewish boys who had a Bar Mitzvah and this is still true in Orthodox communities. (See Subdivisions within Judaism).
In Progressive groups girls can have a Bat Mitzvah. The girls in Orthodox communities may have a Bat Chayil instead. (See NB. below)
Bar/Bat Mitzvah usually takes place on the Shabbat just after the child’s thirteenth birthday although in Orthodox groups it may be held on Mondays and Thursdays as these are the other days when the Torah is read.
(In some Progressive Synagogues girls may be twelve – it is thought that they mature both physically and emotionally earlier than boys!).
At this age it is felt that the child is developing physically and mentally and beginning to understand the ideas, traditions and practices of Judaism.
Preparation
Ideally the child will have spent his or her childhood attending Cheder, Jewish religion school, and will have a good knowledge of Hebrew, the Festivals, the Torah, Jewish history, rituals and customs etc.
They may well have also taken part in some kind of social or charitable action in the wider community to experience helping others.
Education is something that is really important in Jewish family life – the observant Jew feels a strong obligation to pass on the Jewish heritage and therefore the child will have been brought up in a Jewish home, involved in all the home practices and attended Synagogue on a regular basis.
Before the Day
Approximately nine months to a year before their thirteenth birthday, a date will be set for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah as agreed with the Rabbi.
They will then have extra lessons to learn and study their Parasha in detail and learn other relevant prayers and blessings.
It is not easy to learn the Parasha from the Torah. The Torah Hebrew contains only consonants, not vowels known as ‘unpointed’. (I taught my four sons their portions by first learning the words with vowels -see left below, before then identifying them ‘pointed’ in the Tikkun – a book containing the Torah Hebrew text -see right below)
On the Day
Where?
It is usually held in Synagogue but some families will travel to the Holy site of the Western Wall in Jerusalem to hold their ceremony.
Another location is the ancient Synagogue at the top of the ruined fortress of Masada, near the Dead Sea in Israel.
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is such an important Jewish celebration that many relatives will attend from all over the world as well as most of the Synagogue congregation.
What Happens?
Before the service, it is usual for the child to be gifted their adult prayer clothes.
Orthodox boys are given their Tefillin to use after their Bar Mitzvah for morning prayers, except on Shabbat. (See Subdivisions within Judaism).
In the photo below left, the top Kippah has Bar Mitzvah written in Hebrew and the lower Kippah was given to my son Aaron for his Bar Mitzvah. It has his Hebrew name of ‘Aharon’ embroidered on it.
The Service
The family will sometimes prepare a pamphlet explaining what will be happening on the day, This is especially useful for non-Jewish visitors.
In some Synagogues, the child will take part of the Shabbat morning service.
The Rabbi will then call up the child to the Bimah to read his or her Parasha from the Torah in front of the congregation.
This will usually be read in both Hebrew and English. They will also read the Haftarah and the Blessings before and after both readings.
The child will then give the D’var Torah – an insightful talk which usually includes some background information on their portion and its relevance to modern life and to themselves. It is a summary of what they have learnt about their portion during their months of study and how this will help them in the future.
The Rabbi will follow this with a sermon which focuses on the child’s achievements and aspirations for the future. The child will then be called up again to say the Bar/Bat Mitzvah prayer. (See example below.)
This is followed by the Rabbi blessing the child with the whole family on the Bimah.
In my Synagogue the Torah will often be physically passed from grandparents to parents to the child, symbolising the carrying on of the faith from generation to generation.
After The Service
A special Kiddish will be held at the Synagogue. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah will often be presented with a certificate or even a prayer book.
Now it’s time to celebrate! Parties can range from relatively small affairs in the Synagogue hall to lavish dinner and dances on the same scale of a wedding!
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is given cards, presents and money. Some ask guests to send money to charities instead.
Summary
It is apt that the word Mitzvah is the significant word in Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Not only is one ‘honouring’ one’s faith by demonstrating commitment to it in the future but it is an acceptance that Jews have 613 Mitzvot (Commandments) in the Torah which provide God’s guide to their future behaviour.
A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a very important occasion in Jewish life for three reasons:
- It is a personal celebration of the child’s study – a great achievement.
- It is a family celebration – an occasion of great pride and happiness for the parents and family.
- It is a community celebration – the child will now take a responsible part in the religious life of the community, carrying on a tradition that has been practised for hundreds of years.
Celebrating one’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a rite of passage which connects us to our past, our present and our future.
This important life cycle event acts a link in the ‘Jewish chain’ and is one of the reason why Judaism has continued to prevail for over 4000 years despite many cruel efforts to destroy it.
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Prayer
In the presence of this congregation, which represents the Jewish people all over the world, I give thanks for what I have learnt of my Jewish heritage, and promise to go on studying it in the years ahead. So may I come to understand ever more deeply, and carry out more fully, the duties that flow from it. I think of all those who, in past ages, have preserved the Jewish faith, and declared their loyalty to it, as I do today. I thank my parents and my family, my teachers and my friends, and all who helped me to reach this day. And I pray to God: Guide me, and keep me strong, so that I may fulfil the high hopes that rest on me. Amen.
We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the Universe, that You have kept us alive, sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.
NB. Bat Chayil
This is the Orthodox equivalent of a Bat Mitzvah for a girl. The words literally mean ‘daughter of worth’. The ceremony will be held on a Sunday and often feature a group of thirteen year old girls who have completed a Bat Chayil course. This course will usually include educational work as well as a project on ‘The Jewish Home’ to prepare her for her future role. The project will focus on the relevance of Shabbat and Kashrut in family life. The ceremony will therefore have more of an educational focus than a ceremoniously religious one. The service will consist of readings by the Bat Chayil graduates, prayers and presentations.