| In recent years, Bar Mitzvahs (for a boy) or Bat | | | | occasion of a boy becoming a man with lavish |
| Mitzvahs (for a girl) have become reason for a big | | | | parties, often at the most extraordinary Bar/Bat |
| celebration with family and friends that can be easily | | | | Mitzvah party venues. In its most basic form, a bar |
| compared to anniversaries and weddings. But where | | | | mitzvah is the celebrant's first aliyah. During Shabbat |
| does this tradition come from? | | | | services on a Saturday shortly after the child's 13th |
| According to Jewish Law, every Jewish boy | | | | birthday, or even the Monday or Thursday weekday |
| becomes a bar mitzvah at age 13. "Bar" is "son", "Bat" | | | | services immediately after the child's 13th birthday, |
| is "daughter" and "Mitzvah" is "commandment" in both | | | | the celebrant is called up to the Torah to recite a |
| Hebrew and Aramaic. So "Bar Mitzvah" literally means | | | | blessing over the weekly reading. Today, it is |
| "son of the commandment", but the term is often | | | | common practice for the bar mitzvah celebrant to do |
| misused to refer to the coming of age ceremony | | | | much more. The celebrant usually learns the entire |
| itself. The tradition of celebrating this event goes | | | | haftarah portion and recites it, or leads part of the |
| back to 15th century, and was initially meant for | | | | service, or leads the congregation in certain important |
| boys only. | | | | prayers. The celebrant is also generally required to |
| Contrary to what many believe, the bar mitzvah | | | | make a speech, which usually begins with the phrase |
| ceremony did not originate from the Bible; it was | | | | "today I am a man". The father traditionally recites a |
| known long before the Jewish religion existed. | | | | blessing thanking God for removing the burden of |
| Historians have discovered evidence of such rites of | | | | being responsible for the son's sins. |
| passage in ancient tribes and cultures. Ancient rituals | | | | The bar or bat mitzvah is a relatively modern |
| usually involved some sort of initiation: hunting, | | | | innovation, not mentioned in the Talmud, and the |
| cooking, tests of strength, speed or skills to prove | | | | elaborate ceremonies and receptions that are |
| they had become a man. Eventually the emphasis | | | | commonplace today were unheard of as recently as |
| changed from physical coming-of-age to spiritual. | | | | a century ago. Nowadays, the religious service is |
| According to Torah, a bar mitzvah becomes obligated | | | | followed by a celebration at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party |
| by God's commandments, i.e. becomes eligible to | | | | venue that is often as fancy as a wedding venue. |
| count in a prayer quorum, lead prayer services, | | | | Gifts are commonly given at the reception, not at |
| testify before a religious court ant to marry. After | | | | the service itself, and the nature of the gift varies |
| reaching 13 years of age, Jewish boys and girls are | | | | significantly depending on the community. At one |
| considered adults and are fully responsible for their | | | | time, the most common gifts were college supplies; |
| moral and religious duties in addition to becoming a full | | | | today, however, the gifts are the same sort that |
| member of the Jewish community. | | | | you would give any child for his 13th birthday. The |
| Even though the bar mitzvah ceremony is not | | | | newest Bar Mitzvah tradition is a Party Theme with |
| required by law and does not fulfill any | | | | favors like glow whistles, hats, masks, party-poppers |
| commandment, today many families celebrate the | | | | and confetti to add the special touches. |