Why is a bar or bat mitzvah special to judaism?

Answer 1

Bar is Aramaic for 'son'.

Bat is Hebrew for 'daughter'.

When a boy turns 13 and a girl turns 12, they are considered adults in the eyes of Judaism. This means that they are now responsible for taking on the religious responsibilities of adult Jews - fasting, being counted for community prayers, etc.

Answer 2

Becoming a bar mitzvah is the most important religious event in a Jewish male's life because that is the day he is considered old enough to take on the responsibilities of a Jewish adult. A Jewish male becomes a bar mitzvah on his 13th birthday.

Answer 3

A bar mitzvah isn't a "rite of passage". The term 'bar mitzvah' literally means 'son of the guidelines'. A Jewish boy automatically becomes a bar mitzvah on his 13th birthday when he is considered old enough to take on the religious responsibilities of a Jewish adult.

The bar mitzvah ceremony that so many people associate with this event does not make the boy an adult in the Jewish community, it is simply a celebration of this important point of the boy's life. It's important to know that the bar mitzvah ceremony and huge celebrations we see today are a modern invention dating back only about 40-50 years. Prior to that, the child would simply go to synagogue on their birthday where he'd be called up to read from the Torah for the first time in his life.