By Stan Goodenough
Ask any under 13-year-old Jewish boy which date he anticipates with the most excitement and he’ll undoubtedly say “my Bar Mitzvah”. (Under 12-year-old Jewish girls would say “Bat Mitzvah”)
The boy’s Bar Mitzvah is the date on which he reaches his religious majority – on his 13th birthday.
The words Bar Mitzvah mean “subject to the commandments”. They indicate that the Jewish child is now expected to live his life in full accordance with Jewish law.
This religious milestone in the boy’s life is marked by allowing him to publicly perform a commandment he was not previously permitted to. Usually he is called up in the synagogue to read from the Torah, (Moses’ Law) or the Haftarah, (the Prophets).
After the service, a meal ranging from something simple to a full feast, is held in honor of the Bar Mitzvah, as the celebrant is called. Parents are discouraged from turning the event into an excessive 13th birthday party, however, in order to preserve its religious significance.
© Israel My Beloved
