10 Little-Known Facts About Bar Mitzvah

In Judaism, the bar/bat mitzvah ceremony refers to the coming of age ritual. The bar mitzvah denotes the Jewish boys above the age of 13, whereas the bat mitzvah denotes the Jewish girls who have crossed the age of 12. As per Jewish law, parents are held responsible for their child’s actions until the children reach a certain age.. However, after reaching that age, Jewish children are said to become a bar or bat mitzvah, becoming equally accountable and responsible for their actions. The ceremony is typically held on the first Shabbat after the birthday where the child reaches a certain age. 

For your better understanding, here we have a list of ten little-known facts about bar mitzvah:

Plural term

The plural term for bar mitzvah is B’nai mitzvah. When a boy crosses the bar mitzvah age, he technically becomes responsible for his actions. This is because he gains awareness about right and wrong. Therefore, he is eligible to perform the duties as a Jewish adult.

Custom

Are you wondering about the customs of bar mitzvah? Well, there are various customs followed by each Jewish community. However, most of the communities start preparing for the bar mitzvah a year before the actual celebration. 

Missing the celebration

If you have missed your chance to celebrate your coming of age at 13, and thinking you have lost your chance for life, then that’s not true. According to the ritual, you become a bar mitzvah once you reach the age of thirteen. Therefore, adults can have a celebration later. People usually call them bnei mitzvah.

Name

Bar mitzvah is translated as the son of commandment for the children who reach the age of thirteen. In Aramaic language, bar denotes son and is only used in the Jewish community. At the same time, mitzvah signifies commandment as per the Hebrew and Aramaic language. 

Obligation

By the time boys are eligible to celebrate their bar mitzvah, they also become ready to serve the obligation as an adult. They acquire the right to perform religious ceremonies, marry, form contracts, or testify in the religious courts. 

When to celebrate

The bar mitzvah celebration usually takes place on the closest Shabbat day to the child’s thirteenth birthday. However, all the planning for the occasion starts a year before the actual big day. 

Service 

During the bar mitzvah celebration, boys and girls read the b’rachto and a section from the Torah. They chant the b’rachto for the haftarah and read a section from haftarah. The celebration comes to an end with the delivery of a sermon by the boys and girls. 

Aliyah

Derived from the Hebrew language, Aliyah is a crucial term in a bar mitzvah. It means going up, used to portray the immigration act for the Jewish people to Israel. 

An aliyah occasions

Apart from the coming of age ritual, there are various other customs in the Jewish community. Some of the Torah services include the birth of a child, an impending marriage, and illness recovery. 

The synagogue

The synagogue is considered as one of the most appropriate settings for the celebration of bar mitzvah. Most Jewish families choose to celebrate their child’s big day in a synagogue, while some families visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem to celebrate Simcha.

About the business

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