Bar and Bat Mitzvah part 2

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Overview

• Bar Mitzvah is Hebrew for "son of commandment," while Bat Mitzvah is Hebrew for "daughter of commandment."
• At 13, a Jewish boy becomes a Jewish adult, taking on the rights and obligations of the Torah, including wearing tefillin daily and participating in synagogue services.
• A girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah at 12 in some Jewish communities, although the celebration may occur at a different age.

Bar Mitzvah Celebrations

• The Bar Mitzvah celebration often includes a ceremony in the synagogue, wearing tefillin, and parties.
• The celebrant may be called to the Torah, lead services, deliver a speech, or demonstrate their newfound status.
• Traditionally, the Bar Mitzvah boy receives an aliyah, which is an honor given to those called up to the Torah.

Bar Mitzvah Preparation

• Preparation for Bar Mitzvah may take a year or more, during which the boy learns to read and recite blessings on the Torah and chants a portion of the Torah.
• He also learns how to put on tefillin and prepares a speech, applying a thought from the weekly Torah portion to his own life.

Bat Mitzvah Celebrations

• In some Orthodox communities, a Bat Mitzvah girl delivers a D'var Torah on the Shabbat following her 12th birthday.
• Many synagogues run Bat Mitzvah courses where girls learn about the mitzvot they are now obliged to keep.
• Some girls may undertake a mitzvah project, focusing on one mitzvah in depth or performing acts of kindness.

Significance of Age 13

• According to Pirkei Avot 5:21, 13 is the age for observing commandments.
• Bereshit Rabbah 63:10 states that a parent is responsible for their child until the age of 13, at which point the parent must say a blessing.