What are the responsibilities of a bar mitzvah?
- Lead prayer services (as chazzan ). 15
- Be counted as a member of a minyan. 16
- To bless the congregation with the Priestly Blessing if he is a kohen. 17
- To serve as reader from the Torah at public Torah readings. 18
- To receive an aliyah. 19
- To lead the Grace after Meals (known as zimun) and count as one of the three people required in order to do a zimun. 20
What is Bar Mitzvah and what does it mean?
Bar mitzvah translates to “son of the commandment.”. It is the coming of age for Jewish boys. This occurs when a Jewish boy turns 13. He becomes accountable for his actions and the commandments of the Torah, the Hebrew Bible. After becoming a bar mitzvah, a Jewish boy can partake in all the Jewish rituals.
What does one wear to a bar mitzvah?
Participants in a bar mitzvah will wear suits, dress pants, shirts and ties in the synagog. Males will wear shirts, dress pants, and tie for the evening. A yarmulke (or small skull cap) is considered essential in the synagogue among men who aren’t Jews but are attending the traditional Jewish community.
Who is involve in a bar mitzvah?
Who Is Involved In A Bar Mitzvah? It means “son” of the commandments in Hebrew. There is an arrival of something new in the lives of Jewish boys. The event occurs when a Jewish boy reaches the age of thirteen. His actions are then judged, and his commandments according to the Hebrew Torah.
What is the purpose of a bar mitzvah?
Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies mark the transition into adulthood for young Jews. At age 13 a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah and at age 13 a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah. Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies are significant because they are seen as the time of coming of age, when a child becomes an adult.
What is a bar mitzvah party for a girl?
Bat mitzvah also refers to a religious ceremony that accompanies a girl becoming a bat mitzvah. Often a celebratory party will follow the ceremony and that party is also called a bat mitzvah.
What is a bar mitzvah in simple terms?
bar mitzvah, also spelled bar mitzva or mitzwa (Hebrew: “son of the commandment”), plural bar mitzvahs, bar mitzvot, or bar mitzwot, Jewish religious ritual and family celebration commemorating the religious adulthood of a boy on his 13th birthday.
Is a bar mitzvah a big deal?
On television bar/bat mitzvahs are depicted as humorous, but in all actuality they are a very serious and meaningful occasion for a Jewish family. “Bar/bat mitzvah” literally means “son/daughter of the commandments,” and represents a young Jewish man or woman becoming obligated to observe the commandments of Judaism.
How much money do I give for a bar mitzvah?
In general, for bar mitzvah gifting, take the amount you normally spend on a birthday present, give 1.5 times, and then round it in multiples of 18. If you normally give $100, you can give for a bar mitzvah $150, but considering the multiples of eighteen, you can give either $144 or $162.
What should you not wear to a bar mitzvah?
Men are typically expected to wear a suit or slacks and a tie. Women should wear a modest dress or formal pantsuit. Avoid anything that shows a lot cleavage or leg. Bare shoulders should be covered with a shawl or bolero jacket.
What do you eat at a bar mitzvah?
Popular items include a mirrored display of lox, whitefish, kippered salmon, pickled herring and gefilte fish; a salad of baby Bibb lettuce with fresh herb/champagne vinaigrette; and entree choices such as filet of salmon or sliced Chateaubriand with bordelaise sauce.
What's a good bar mitzvah gift?
Traditional Bar Mitzvah gifts often include a ritually significant amount of money, educational books, Jewish ritual items or a cookbook that celebrates Jewish cooking. You can also take a more personalized slant by buying the teen something to foster their hobbies and passions.
What do I bring to a bar mitzvah?
All guests are expected to bring a gift. Religious charms (such as the Star of David or the Chai symbol), gifts of money, jewelry, and books are all appropriate. Contemporaries enjoy giving gift certificates, books, and music.
Do you bring gifts to a bar mitzvah?
Attending a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebration Likewise, it is also common practice to bring gifts for the child. While any gift that is typically suitable for a child around the age of thirteen will make an excellent Bar/Bat Mitzvah gift, there are traditional gifts that are given.
What color do you wear to a bar mitzvah?
The silver, gold and white combination has been a perennial fave among bat mitzvahs favoring a neutral but black tie-ish theme.
Can non Jews attend a bar mitzvah?
Most non-Jewish parents are relieved just to know what they and their “side” of the family can do in a religious service. Rabbis and congregations owe it to their interfaith-married families to share openly the policy for non-Jewish participation in Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations.
How much money do you give for a bar mitzvah 2021?
The gift should range between three to six times chai, or $54 at minimum to around $108 or more for each adult. The amount given per child should be between two or four chai.
Can females have bar mitzvahs?
In adults. While the traditional age to hold a bar or bat mitzvah is 13 for boys and 12 or 13 for girls, some adults choose to have a bar or bat mitzvah if they did not have them as children.
What do you give a girl for her bat mitzvah?
10 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Gift IdeasCash. Similar to a wedding, cash is often a welcomed gift whether you can accept or need to decline your Bar or Bat Mitzvah invitation. ... Gift Cards. ... Judaica. ... Educational Books. ... Charitable Donations. ... Personalized Gifts. ... Jewish Cookbook. ... Jewelry.More items...
What color do you wear to a bar mitzvah?
The silver, gold and white combination has been a perennial fave among bat mitzvahs favoring a neutral but black tie-ish theme.
What age do you have to be to fast on Yom Kippur?
Bar mitzvah is mentioned in the Mishnah and the Talmud. Some classic sources identify the age at which children must begin to participate in the ritual of fasting on Yom Kippur as 13 for boys and 12 for girls. The age of B'nai mitzvah roughly coincides with the onset of puberty. The bar or bat mitzvah ceremony is usually held on the first Shabbat after the birthday on which the child reaches the eligible age.
What age do you become a bat mitzvah?
All Jewish boys, and Reform Jewish girls, become bar or bat mitzvahs at age 13, whereas Orthodox and Conservative Jewish girls become bat mitzvahs at age 12. After this point, children are also held responsible for knowing Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics, and are able to participate in all areas of Jewish community life to the same extent as adults. (In some Jewish communities, men’s and women’s roles differ in certain respects. For example, in Orthodox Judaism, once a boy turns 13, it is permitted to count him for the purpose of determining whether there is a prayer quorum, and he may lead prayer and other religious services in the family and the community.)
Why did the B'nai Mitzvah Revolution happen?
In 2012, concern about the high post-bar/bat mitzvah drop out rate led the Union for Reform Judaism to launch the B'nai Mitzvah Revolution, an effort to shift Reform congregations away from "the long-held assumption that religious school is about preparing kids for their bar/bat mitzvah" and focus instead on teaching them how to become committed and involved members of the Jewish community.
What does the word "bar" mean in Hebrew?
Bar ( בַּר ) is a Jewish Babylonian Aramaic word meaning "son" ( בֵּן , ben in Hebrew), while bat ( בַּת ) means "daughter " in Hebrew, and mitzvah ( מִצְוָה ) means "commandment" or "law" (plural: mitzvot ). Thus bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah literally translate to "son of commandment" and "daughter of commandment". However, in rabbinical usage, the word bar means "under the category of" or "subject to". Bar mitzvah therefore translates to " [one] who is subject to the law". Although the term is commonly used to refer to the ritual itself, the phrase originally refers to the person.
What is the Jewish law of bat mitzvah?
According to Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age, they are said to “become” a bar or bat mitzvah, at which point they begin to be held accountable for their own actions.
Where are bar and bat mitzvahs held?
Bar and bat mitzvah parties among wealthy Jewish families in North America are often lavish affairs held at hotels and country clubs with hundreds of guests. The trend has been mocked, most notably in the movie Keeping Up with the Steins. In the 1950s, Rabbi Harold Saperstein of New York described them as too often being "more bar than mitzvah". Rabbi Shmuley Boteach says that over-the-top bar mitzvah parties were already common when he was growing up in Miami in the 1970s.
When do you put on tefillin for a bar mitzvah?
The common custom is for the bar mitzvah boy to begin putting on tefillin one to three months before his bar mitzvah.
What is the climax of Bar Mitzvah?
For most boys and their parents, the ceremony in synagogue is the climax of the bar mitzvah experience. After months of preparing, the young man stands on his own before the congregation and shows them what he has achieved. His performance successfully concluded, everyone breathes a deep sigh of relief—now they can relax and enjoy the party.
What is the bar mitzvah ceremony?
The bar mitzvah ceremony is an important and time-honored rite of passage. The young man is called to the Torah for the first time, and often chants a portion of the Torah reading, or the haftarah (reading from the prophets), which he has prepared.
When is a bar mitzvah?
First, and most importantly, a Jewish boy becomes a bar mitzvah on his thirteenth birthday, with or without a ceremony in synagogue. If he stumbles over a word, or forgets a sentence in his speech, he will not be disqualified.
Can you put too much pressure on a bar mitzvah boy?
Second, while preparing for the ceremony may be a rewarding experience, it should not be the sole focus of the bar mitzvah boy’s studies.
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How Is a Bat Mitzvah Celebrated?
As soon as you turn twelve, you become a Bat Mitzvah, a Jewish adult. Many choose to celebrate the occasion with family and friends, but even if a girl does nothing at all to mark the day, she still becomes a Bat Mitzvah.
How to make a bat mitzvah party more meaningful?
Make the party more meaningful by emphasizing the importance of the Bat Mitzvah speech, telling the guests about the “mitzvah project” and inviting them to do a mitzvah, such as giving tzedakah (charity), themselves.
Why do girls bake challah?
Some girls include challah baking as part of their Bat Mitzvah celebration so they can do the mitzvah of separating dough for the first time as a woman. Learn more about the mitzvah of challah here.
What is bat mitzvah in Hebrew?
Bat mitzvah is Hebrew for “daughter of commandment.”. When a Jewish girl turns 12, she has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult, including the commandments of the Torah. From that date, she takes her place in the Jewish community.
Why is bat mitzvah important?
The Bat Mitzvah is an important link in a continuous chain of religious and spiritual experiences , and the most crucial aspect of this milestone is the impact and long term effect the experience will have on the young woman’s Jewish identity.
What is a Mitzvah project?
The mitzvah project can be something to help others, such as a charity drive, which will encourage the Jewish tradition of chessed, (kindness), or it can be a more individual mitzvah, such as daily prayer. You could also combine two mitzvahs – such as charity and kosher cooking – and prepare and deliver meals for the less fortunate. Whatever mitzvah a young woman chooses, she will certainly gain tremendous satisfaction from her work.
How to help someone at a bat mitzvah?
Some make sure to dedicate an hour or two (or more) to helping others. This can involve a trip to a nearby nursing home to visit the residents or helping out in a soup kitchen or any other volunteer organization. The Bat Mitzvah girl can invite some friends along, and it will help set the tone and remind her of the significance of the day.
What Should I Wear?
Bar mitzvah attire is usually formal. For ladies, pick a modest skirt and top or dress— something you’d wear to a business meeting, or even a notch dressier.
Do I Need to Bring a Gift?
It is customary to give a gift to a bar mitzvah boy. However, you do not need to bring the gift with you to the celebration. Indeed, you should not do so if the celebration is on Shabbat. Instead include a check or gift card with your reply card, or just drop off your gift at a time that works for you.
What Will Be Served?
There is no traditional fare for bar mitzvahs. However, you can expect that the spread will contain either meat or dairy, but not both, since kosher dietary laws forbid the mixing of milk and meat. So if the menu contains meat, don’t expect to have milk for your coffee.
What Do I Say?
The appropriate congratulatory wish to bestow upon the bar mitzvah boy, his family and just about anyone else you meet at the bar mitzvah is “mazal tov,” which literally means “good luck.” More on the meaning of mazal tov.
What is the dance called at a bar mitzvah?
If the bar mitzvah is not on Shabbat, there may be music at the reception. Traditional Jewish dances feature circles of dancers, often following a dance-step called the “hora.” Traditionally, men and women dance separately. If you’ve never experienced this kind of dancing before, you may be pleasantly surprised by the innocent and pure joy that it elicits.
What age do you put on tefillin?
If the bar mitzvah is on a morning other than Shabbat or a Jewish holiday, chances are that the bar mitzvah boy and his male Jewish guests over the age of 13 will be putting on tefillin, two black boxes that are strapped on the head and the arm for the duration of the prayer services.
What is the bar mitzvah?
The bar mitzvah ceremony celebrates a Jewish boy’s 13th birthday (on the Hebrew calendar) and his elevation to adult status in Judaism. This celebration can take many forms.
What to put on centerpieces for a party?
You may also add centerpiece decorations to the food tables if it's buffet service. Centerpieces could be balloons, flowers, jars of colorful candy, topiaries, etc. If your theme is a charity, you could build a centerpiece around that. For example, if your charity is a literacy program for children, festively tied children's books could serve as your centerpiece for donation after the party. If your charity is a pet shelter, you might create centerpieces with colorful pet bowls and toys, and photos of animals awaiting adoption.
What can you do with a disc jockey?
If you hire a disc jockey, you can hire them to entertain the kids with games during the adult cocktail hour. Casino games for the kids during the adults cocktail hour. Dance party games for the kids to play during the cocktail hour. Arts and crafts tables to amuse younger children throughout the party.
What is a party favor?
Party Favors. Party favors are usually only given to the kids and reflect the theme of the event. A typical party favor is personalized with the name or initials of the bar or bat mitzvah child. It might be a tee shirt, shorts, beach towel, or sports cap.
What is a hors d'oeuvre for kids?
Hors d'oeuvres specifically targeted to the kids such as pizza slices or chicken fingers.
Why do they light candles at a bar mitzvah?
The bar or bat mitzvah lights a candle for the important people in his/her life, or for special family members who have recently passed away. Very often, as the candles are lighted, the bar/bat mitzvah recites the names in a clever, rhyming or poetic speech, which oftentimes ties into the theme.
Why do parents give girls socks?
Some parents provide socks for the girls so they can take a break from their high heels while dancing and playing games. Socks may be personalized with the name or initials of the guest of honor. You'll want to prepare place cards to tell your guests where to sit. These can incorporate the theme of your party.
What do you need to tell your guests at a party?
As with any invitation, you'll need to tell your guests all the details of the places and times they'll need to be there. Invitations are usually the first place you'll show off the theme and mood of the party.
How tall are robots at a bar mitzvah?
Charge up the bar or bat mitzvah with the help of some party robots. Standing anywhere from 8-12 feet tall, party robots will dance, take pictures, and even offer unique performances using LED lights and lasers. Party robots are sure to WOW guests and will be unforgettable entertainment for all ages.
How to put your guests in a trance?
Literally put your guests in a trance by booking a hypnotist for your child’s bar or bat mitzvah. With the use of hypnotherapy, the hypnotist will amaze any group of people by heightening their sense of awareness to block out everything else around them.
Why is a bar mitzvah important?
While a bar or bat mitzvah is an important day for the birthday boy or girl, it is also important to keep guests in mind when selecting entertainment. This is to ensure that there is something for everyone.
Who doesn't love photo booths?
Who doesn’t love photo booths? Getting dressed up in silly outfits and accessories with friends is fun in itself, and having a way to capture it makes the memories last forever. A photo booth is the perfect way to keep guests of all ages entertained, and is a party favor all in one !
Can you draw a caricature for a guest?
It is safe to say that everyone likes getting their caricature drawn! Having an artist to draw guest’s customized caricatures only takes a few minutes and is a fun, personalized souvenir to bring home!
Overview
Parties
As the first mention of a party associated with a synagogue bar mitzvah was in the 13th century, hosting some sort of party is traditional and frequently considered necessary.
Bar mitzvah festivities typically include a joyous seudat mitzvah, a celebratory meal with family, friends, and members of the community, the bar mitzvah bo…
Etymology
Bar (בַּר) is a Jewish Babylonian Aramaic word meaning "son" (בֵּן, ben in Hebrew), while bat (בַּת) means "daughter" in Hebrew, and mitzvah (מִצְוָה) means "commandment" or "law" (plural: mitzvot). Thus bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah literally translate to "son of commandment" and "daughter of commandment". However, in rabbinical usage, the word bar means "under the category of" or "subject to". Bar mitzvah therefore translates to "[one] who is subject to the law". Although the ter…
History
The modern method of celebrating becoming a bar mitzvah did not exist in the time of the Hebrew Bible, Mishnah, or Talmud. Early rabbinic sources specify 13 as the age at which a boy becomes a legal adult; however, the celebration of this occasion is not mentioned until the Middle Ages.
The Bible does not explicitly specify the age of 13. Passages in the books of Ex…
Significance
Reaching the age of bar or bat mitzvah signifies becoming a full-fledged member of the Jewish community with the responsibilities that come with it. These include moral responsibility for one's own actions; eligibility to be called to read from the Torah and lead or participate in a minyan; the right to possess personal property and to legally marry on one's own according to Jewish law; the duty to follow the 613 laws of the Torah and keep the halakha; and the capacity to testify as a wit…
Aliyah to the Torah
The widespread practice is that on a Sabbath shortly after a boy turns 13, they are called up for an aliyah, the ceremony of reading a portion of the Torah section of the day.
There are seven main sections, plus an eighth, known as maftir, which is also connected to the reading of that day's haftorah section. It is most common to g…
Tefillin
The obligation to lay tefillin begins when a boy reaches bar mitzvah age. The common custom is for the bar mitzvah boy to begin putting on tefillin one to three months before his bar mitzvah. This way, by the time he is obligated in the commandment, he will already know how to fulfill it properly.
Bat Mitzvah customs
Today many non-Orthodox Jews celebrate a girl's bat mitzvah or a non-binary teen's simchat mitzvah in the same way as a boy's bar mitzvah. All Reform and Reconstructionist, and most Conservative synagogues have egalitarian participation, in which women read from the Torah and lead services. In Orthodox communities, a Bat Mitzvah is celebrated when a girl reaches the ag…