0
Bar Mitzvah
When a Jewish boy reaches the age of 13, he will become a Bar Mitzvah. Whoever becomes a Bar Mitzvah should have responsibility for their religious and ethical behavior.
239 Questions
Why does bar or bat mitzvah take place?
The purpose of a Bar Mitzvah is to welcome a boy into the Jewish world of adulthood. The version of a bar mitzvah for a female is a Bat Mitzvah.
AnswerThis question is based on a common misconception as to what a Bar Mitzvah is. Many people think that a Bar Mitzvah is a ceremony, however, that isn't what it actually is. A Bar Mitzvah is actually when a Jewish boy turns 13 years old and he becomes a bar mitzvah (son of the commandments) whether or not there is a ceremony to celebrate this event in his life. When a boy becomes a bar mitzvah, according to halacha (Jewish law), he is now considered old enough to take on the religious responsibilities of a Jewish adult.How do you respond to Bar Mitzvah invitation if the response card is blank?
Assume that the card is left blank so that you may write a brief note expressing your good wishes and congratulations and whether or not you will be attending. Many families are now opting for this more personalized type of RSVP card in lieu of the more formal yes/no cards of yesterday.
What religious people would be invited to a bar mitzvah?
If you are a guest at a bar mitzvah, you don't really do anything except sit with the congregation during the service.
The bar mitzvah boy (or bat mitzvah girl) usually leads and/or takes part in the service, reading from the Torah or at least saying the Torah blessings.
What does the word bar mitzvah mean in English?
A ceremony in Judaism to signify the initiation of a Jewish girl (at the age of 12) into adulthood in Judaism, and shows the beginning of full religious responsibility.
Bat mitzva is for girlsand Bar mitzva is for boys.
Bar Mitzvah (Hebrew: בר מצוה) and Bat Mitzvah (Hebrew: בת מצוה) are Jewish coming of age rituals. Bar "בר" is a Jewish Babylonian Aramaic word meaning son, in Hebrew it's Ben "בן". Bat "בת" is Hebrew for girl, and Mitzvah "מצוה" is a commandment and a law. According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys become 13, they become responsible for their actions and become a Bar Mitzvah (plural: B'nai Mitzvah). The age for girls is 12.
What is the difference between confirmation and a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
Answer 1
The Bar or Bat-Mitzvah is a coming of age ritual where the young adult reads directly from the Torah scroll and leads the congregation in prayer. The typical age for this is 13.
A confirmation occurs in 10th Grade and is the slightly older young adults' confirming their faith and their Jewish education. In my experience, the confirmation is usually a group event, while the bar/bat mitzvah is more individual (sometimes 2 or 3, but not typically 10-20.)
Answer 2
The Bar Mitzva ceremony is a centuries-old custom. Bat Mitzva and confirmation ceremonies are a recent practice.
Answer 3
The Confirmation and the Bar/Bat Mitzvah are both coming of age rituals, but in different religions. The Confirmation is designed for Catholicism and is the first time that a child will partake of the Eucharist (cracker and wine which are the metaphysical blood and flesh of Christ). The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is designed for Judaism and is the first time that a child will read directly from the Torah (the scroll containing the first five Biblical books).
What are some appropriate gifts to give for a Bar Mitzvah?
You can't go wrong with money. The word life in Hebrew CHAI has the numerical value of 18, therefore people often give bar mitzvah money gifts in multiples of 18 ($18, $36 etc).
If you were just friends with the boy who is even having the bar mitzvah, you could just give him something like an iTunes gift card or something like that. Same thing with a girl who is having a bat mitzvah.
Important:If the synagogue is Conservative or Orthodox, never try to give a monetary gift (this include gift cards as they're the equivalent of cash) at a bar mitzvah. The reason is that Jews do not handle money on Shabbat (the sabbath). In fact, it's not a good idea to bring a gift of any kind to the synagogue. Either drop off the gift at the family's home in advance or wait until the party.Why do people want to go through bar mitzvah ceremony?
because they believe that they are following the rules of their god and they are fresher when going through it.
At What age does a Jewish boy become a man?
He becomes a man in the religious sense on his 13th birthday when he becomes a Bar Mitzvah at which point he is considered responsible for observing the mitzvot. This is celebrated by his being called up to read his bar Mitzvah Portion from the Torah, normally on the sabbath relating to his Hebrew birthday.
How long does a Bar Mitzvah ceremony take?
Hopefully for many, many years, with good health, good fortune, blessings, and success.
The "bar mitzvah" is the individual Jewish male who has reached the age of 13.
It is not the synagogue service, the reception, the dinner, or the bowling party.
What should be said on a bar mitzvah card?
Do you mean a card to a boy having a Bar Mitzvah? The general message is congratulatory, so ... Congratulations on this special occasion. or ... You've worked very hard, congratulations on this special day!
A Bar mitzvah is when a Jewish boy turns 13 and becomes an adult. As part of the customary rite of passage he will read from the Torah in the synagogue. The Bar Mitzvah ceremony asserts and celebrates this ascent to manhood.
A Bat mitzvah when a Jewish girl turns 12 and becomes an adult.
In Orthodox Judaism, all adult Jews are expected to keep all 613 commandments.
Why do you get presents for bar and bat mitzvah?
There is no historical tradition of gift giving during Channukah so you do not have to give or get presents. The practice of gift giving during Channukah is mainly specific to the US and Canada and is the result of the holiday falling in the same month as Christmas.
What does bar mean in bar association?
The term B.A.R. in legal parlance stands for British Accreditation Registry.
What do you wear to your friends bar mitzvah?
Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are important events, usually held on the Sabbath, so formal clothing is best. It is also especially respectful for women to wear modest clothing (loose-fitting clothing which covers down to the knees, over the elbows, without exposed cleavage, and preferably with covered hair) if there will be any religious men present. It is also appropriate for men to wear a yarmulke or kippa, which are readily available to borrow at synagogues.
How do you write congratulations for your bar mitzvah?
Typically you would wish the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family "Mazal Tov"
What are the differences between a boy bar mitzvah and a girl ba tmitzvah?
Bar mitzva for boys is at the age of 13.
Bat mitzva, for girls, it at 12.
The reason is probably the average age of maturity, which is higher for boys.
What do people at bar mitzvah eat?
Any food can be eaten at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, including traditional and non traditional foods. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah child can pick the food.
Do ALL Jewish boys get Bar Mitzvahed?
First, let's clarify what a bar mitzvah actually is. On a Jewish boy's 13th birthday he becomes a bar mitzvah, there is no ceremony necessary for this to happen, it's automatic.
Now, when a boy becomes a bar mitzvah, one of the traditions is for him to publicly read from the Torah as this is a responsibility held by Jewish adults. However, any Jewish male who is not circumcised is not allowed to be the person who reads the Torah portion publicly. Therefore, if a Jewish boy is not circumcised, he cannot participate in the ceremony associated with becoming a bar mitzvah.
Where is Jesus' Bar Mitzvah located in the Bible?
A bar mitzvah is a male who is old enough to be considered an adult as far as Jewish law is concerned. The youngest person to be called an adult in the Torah was Jacob's son Levi, who was called a man at age 13 (Genesis 34:25). From this Judaism established that age as being the age of a bar mitzvah.
What is the average amount of money spent on a bar-mitzvah?
It depends on how close you are to the person. A custom is to give money in multiples of $18, which is numerically equivalent to the word for "life" in Hebrew (think about it as if Roman Numerals spelled out a word).
The amount of money to give is entirely up to you. Just like a wedding gift, there is no set amount. If you're more of an acquaintance than a close family friend, give less. Gift cards are a good alternative to cash.
If you give a cash gift, usually the gift should be in a multiple of 18 (such as $18, $36, $54, etc.), as 18 symbolizes in Hebrew the word "Chai", which means life.
Do you have to wear a white tuxedo for your bar mitzvah?
Most boys wear a dark suit for the ceremony, tuxedos are not normal synagogue clothing outside of a wedding.
