Bar Mitzvah and Bat
Mitzvah - According to Jewish law,
when Jewish children reach 13 years of
age for boys and 12 years of age for
girls, they become responsible for
their actions, and "become a Bar or
Bat Mitzvah" (English: Son (Bar) or
Daughter (Bat) of the commandment). In
many Conservative and Reform
synagogues, girls celebrate becoming a
Bat Mitzvah at age 12,[1] along with
boys at 13. This also coincides with
physical puberty.[2] Prior to this,
the child's parents hold the
responsibility for the child's
adherence to Jewish law and tradition.
After this age, children bear their
own responsibility for Jewish ritual
law, tradition, and ethics and are
privileged to participate in all areas
of Jewish community life.[3] When used
in English, the term also refers to
the ceremony itself.
In Orthodox Jewish observance, the
occasion of becoming a Bar Mitzvah
involves the young man being called to
read the Torah, a Haftarah portion, or
both at a Shabbat or other service
(Thursday morning, Monday morning or a
festival) when the Torah is read, and
it may also involve giving a d'var
Torah, a discussion of that week's
Torah portion. In non-Orthodox
congregations a Bat Mitzvah may
include a similar service for a woman.
Precisely what the Bar/Bat Mitzvah may
do during the service varies in
Judaism's different denominations and
can also depend on the specific
practices of various congregations.
Regardless of the nature of the
celebration, males become entirely
culpable and responsible for following
Jewish law once they reach the age of
13, as females do once they reach the
age of 12.
