What is a Bar Mitzvah?

The word "bar" is Aramaic for "son," and the word "mitzvah" is Aramaic for "commandments." Thus a "Bar Mitzvah" is a "son of the commandment." A "Bat Mitzvah" is "a daughter of the commandment." Jewish law recognizes the inability of children to keep the commandments fully, and thus they are not under any obligation to do so until they become "Bar Mitzvah." A boy becomes a Bar Mitzvah at 13 years old; a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah at 12.

There are four major denominations within contemporary Judaism: Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Reform. Orthodox Jews do not recognize the Bat Mitzvah since women are not permitted to take an active role in their religious services. The other three denominations offer more opportunities for women and girls to participate in the liturgies. While every girl 12 years old becomes a Bat Mitzvah automatically, Orthodox Jews do not have any religious rite to mark the occasion.

The Bar Mitzvah ceremony marks the point at which children become recognized as full members of the community, with all the responsibilities that entail. The ceremony and the party that usually follows do not impart the Bar Mitzvah status; this happens whether or not there is a ritual. There is no specific commandment regarding this in the scriptures, and the ceremony is a relatively recent tradition. Any Jewish boy over the age of 13 is a Bar Mitzvah.

Today, many Jews celebrate a Bar or Bat Mitzvah as merely a rite of passage from childhood into adulthood. Some people who have no Jewish roots whatsoever find the celebration to be a useful part of a child's uprearing. This kind of Judaism without Jewishness blurs the lines of faith and practice.

To be a Bar Mitzvah makes possible a variety of duties within the community. A Bar Mitzvah will count as an adult when determining the number needed (the minyan, a quorum of at least ten men; or women in certain Jewish communities) to offer public prayers; he will be considered able to sign a binding contract; he can testify before a court. Perhaps most importantly, a Jewish boy who becomes a Bar Mitzvah can be called forward during a Shabbat service to pray a blessing over the reading of the Torah. This invitation is called an aliyah.

In many Jewish communities today, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony invites the boy not only to recite the appropriate blessing but to read the Torah selection as well. Sometimes he will be asked to make a short speech or deliver a sermon. Many Jewish traditions include the bestowal of a tallit, the fringed prayer shawl that men wear during public prayers. These shawls are made in accordance with the commandment in the Torah to "make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear" (Deuteronomy 22.12). These tassels remind the wearer of the commandments of God.

A child may prepare for this day extensively. Some communities encourage the wearing of the tefillin for several months prior to the ceremony so that the child can become fully comfortable with the process of putting them on. Tefillin are also known as phylacteries. They consist of two small black boxes with straps, one of which is tied to the upper arm and the other to the forehead. Inside the tefillin are four small paper scrolls with scripture passages written on them. These passages include Exodus 13.1-10, Exodus 13.11-16, Deuteronomy 6.4-9, and Deuteronomy 11.13-21. The first two passages remind the wearer of a key event in Jewish history—the release from slavery in Egypt and the covenant to keep God's commandments. The third passage contains the Shema, the creedal statement about the unity of God and the obligation to love and worship God alone. The third reminds the wearer of God's promises to bless obedience and urges God's people to keep God's words in their hearts.

Some communities also expect the completion of volunteer projects, regular attendance at religious services, or the accomplishment of some intensive study before the ceremony. Most encourage familiarity with the liturgies, the ability to read a passage from the Torah in Hebrew, and the preparation of a sermon, the d'var Torah. Each synagogue will have its own list of requirements. While traditionally, the father would prepare the son or daughter, many today will enlist the help of a private tutor (often provided by the synagogue) or enroll the child in one of the many online preparatory programs for Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies.

The Bar or Bat Mitzvah marking point does not end the child's religious education. It is not a "graduation." On the contrary, many synagogues make clear that the learning of the Torah must continue throughout life. Some congregations, particularly Conservative synagogues, may also have a Confirmation ceremony around the age of 15-16 years old. This has been one way they have encouraged the younger teenagers to stay in religious education. The receptions after the service can be extravagant and are always joyful, a time of celebration, gift-giving, and blessings.

Read more about Jewish rites and rituals here.