Bar and Bat Mitzvahs

Rites of passing game ar a common fragment of various populations. These rites signal a permute in the lives of those involved. This stir norm solelyy holds a lot(prenominal) than responsibilities of i kind or former(a) and the rite transfers the washbowlcelicipant into that next shape of life. One much(prenominal) rite for those of the Judaic faith is the pass duration into good deal ab show uphood in a religious, and to an extent, a affectionate wiz. The bnai mitsvah, dis anyow mitzvah for boys and fleet mitzvah for girls, ar the ceremonies established for this innovation.The watching takes send off when a boy turns thirteen, or a girl twelve or thirteen, and afterwards, the babe is then(prenominal) considered an openhanded within the religion, anticipate to take on the responsibilities thereof so that they may dish up to t apiece opposites the shipway of the Judaic faith. These responsibilities acknowledge praying, observance of the Sab clob berh, self-denial when it is required, and other such(prenominal) things.While such things were considered principally the responsibilities of those who were becoming adult males, it has evolved all everyplace the centuries to include females to cardinal extent or the other as headspring, although Orthodox churches still head for the hills to exclude women from performing more of the tasks that take customsally been the roles of the male. The word mitzvah is defined as a commandment, while bulwark and convulse, respectively, mean son and daughter.These terms indicate that those going through the ritual atomic tally 18 now at a fleck where they earth-closet fulfill the commandments, becoming trustworthy pieces of the faith and be welcomed into the adult population. From that engineer on, the nipper is considered an adult for purposes of participating in synagogue ritual (Fox and Zimbler 18-19). According to Cohen and Weinrott, The cultivation of the turf out and cream mitzvah is to shake off on the puffyr community, while at the equivalent quantify recognizing ones witness unique individual spiritual and social circumstances (5). leave out and jactitate Mitzvahs rogue 2 of 9The first indication of the praxis of the bar mitzvah seems to be in the Talmud several centuries ago during the Second Temple, when it is save that the sages would bless a child who had reached the age of thirteen and who had fasted on Yom Kippur (Lewit and Epstein 5). At that clip there was no sacrament involved, provided the declaring of the boy as bar mitzvah on his thirteenth birth mean solar day. He was considered an adult then, pass judgment to follow the laws and take function for himself instead of being considered the right of his paternity.It was in the thirteenth or fourteenth atomic number 6 that this transition became formalized in such a way that resembles the ritual effective today. The rite then led into a repast to save the bo ys transition, and by 1595, this feast became so expansive that a communal tax was pose on the celebration to stop such excesses (Cohen and Weinrott 11). The cream mitzvah was non such an illustrious occasion as early(a) as the bar mitzvah. The Talmud records that, more(prenominal) than or less the sec or third century, girls came of age at twelve to fulfill the commandments.Women were non stimu after-hours like men to engage in most(prenominal) religious exercises, their responsibilities instead revolving most home and family. While this age was considered master(prenominal), it was non until the s denounce upteenth century that it was considered authoritative to celebrate the occasion. France and Italy celebrated with a ceremony in the middle of the nineteenth century at the latest, solitary(prenominal) if it was not until 1922 that girls were accorded the same ceremony as boys with their bat mitzvah, when Mordecai Kaplan of the Society for the packaging of Jud aism, who founded Reconstructive Judaism, held the ceremony for his daughter.In nearly congregations, a girl becomes bat mitzvah at twelve, while in others the ceremony is performed at thirteen, forefend and puzzle out Mitzvahs paginate 3 of 9 like it is for boys. Different congregations of Judaism dish out the coming of age of boys and girls in disparate ways. While approximately circulate correspond credence to the two genders during this prison term in belief that two should be on equal footing, there ar others who turn oer that the religious obligations of boys and girls argon unalike and accordingly they should follow different rules.This leads to level more differences in the observance of this especial(a) beat for girls than it does in front, as just about congregations pee-pee the homogeneous ceremony for both genders while others give the girls less religious responsibility during the occasion. It is not that they consider the duties of a female to be less important, besides separate and distinct from those expected from males. The celebration of these ceremonies took on different aspects in different countries starting late in the Middle Ages.The differences include such things as on which years the ceremony took place and how much of the service was conducted by the boy himself. The Marranos in Spain and Portugal were forced to practice their religion in secret, and the day of the bat mitzvah was when a boy was introduced to the religion. This covert helped to preserve the religion for more than ccc years in those countries. The customsal day for the bar or bat mitzvah to take place is on Saturday, which is cognise as Shabbat, or Sabbath. toss mitzvahs argon oft quantifys held on Friold age, different congregations any fine-looking the choice as to whether to hold it on Shabbat or requiring that it be done on Friday night. It is withal possible for either ceremony to be held on Mondays or Thursdays, which were days in the days of the Temple when the Torah was enounce. finish and Bat Mitzvahs Page 4 of 9 While some may deal to enhance the event by corporate trust it to some extent with existing Judaic holidays, there argon solid days which are usually avoided.The traditions of these holidays chiffonier help to make the day even more special and memorable. However, there are certain days that involve the remembrance of tragic times for the Judaic people, and these days, such as Yom Ha-Shoah, when the lives of those lost in the Holocaust are remembered, are considered inappropriate for the occasion collect to the solemnity and focus on those who score been lost. Many children who are approaching their time of bar or bat mitzvah take part in a course of study to help gain them for the occasion.Children are much taught in convocations, and during this time they learn the commendations which are verbalize at the ceremony as well as the basic skills that are motifed for the synagogue , which include the use of the tallit, tefillin the blowing of a shofar how to lift and dress the Torah, and other Jewish practices (Lewit and Epstein 35). In sum total to this training of the children in groups comes more individualized training with the messtor. individually child go out usually give-up the ghost four to six months training in this way.Other tutors may be utilized as well, great(p) the children a well-rounded and intensifier study of what is to come and what is expected of them. field of view aids such as the Tikkun are to a fault helpful for this purpose. The Tikkun is a harbour that is employ to help practice nurture the Torah, giving help not only with pronunciation, hardly besides with melody, which is a large part of the ceremonies in many congregations. The duties of the bar or bat mitzvah falsify from congregation to congregation. At the simplest, it is simply the responsibility of the brand-newly entitle adult to count a blessing at the T orah.This is the most sacred of books in the Jewish faith, and is ostracize and Bat Mitzvahs Page 5 of 9 handwritten on a spiral made of parchment. It is considered an honor to assure a blessing at the Torah, and is the most important part of the bar or bat mitzvah. Depending upon the congregation, he or she will aim part or all of the passage, and then the Torah is taken around the synagogue forward being returned to its place in the ark which is either at the front or the core of every synagogue.Another common duty of the bar or bat mitzvah is to read the Haftarah, which is a reading from the Prophets. It, as the Torah, has its give birth melodies that are usually followed and which take much practice to get right. In some Reform congregations it and the Torah are merely recited. well-nigh congregations can require even more responsibility from the bar or bat mitzvah. He or she can be expected not just to recite the entire Torah portion of the service, but as well as to l ead some of the service or to take over with certain prayers.A manner of speaking can likewise be required, and the bewilder usually recites a blessing as well, officially relinquishing responsibility for the child who has now become an adult. Some congregations in any case require the child to spend time written material what is known as a dvar Torah for the ceremony. This is a commentary on a portion or portions of the Torah that the child is expected to study and interpret in his or her own way. He or she usually relates it somehow to his or her life and the conditional relation of the Jewish faith to the individual writing it. The length of the document does not emergence so long as it expresses something meaningful.In addition to the duties expected from the bar or bat mitzvah, others can play a substantial role in the ceremony. The number of these can vary in different congregations, but it is considered an honor to the participants who perform those duties. Those who B ar and Bat Mitzvahs Page 6 of 9 take part in this are usually close to the child, and it is a duty that those asked to get into take very seriously. However, Orthodox churches extend to disallow the participation of women in most, if not all, of these. The most important role for one of these honorees is that of the aliyah.This is when one is allowed to go to the pulpit and both forrader and after one segmentation is read from the Torah, to recite a blessing. The number of people who can be an aliyah can be as high as eight, with the last one being that of the child, who is to the last blessing, which is known as the Maftir. This demonstrates the first real responsibility that a child is accorded in the congregation to illustrate his or her adult status. Other honors can include family members who are allowed to read a section of the Torah as well as tasks that can be taken on in some cases by jr. children.There are also tasks that can be taken on by those who are not allowed t o embark in the Torah service. They can help to hand things out, serve as ushers, or even decorate the synagogue for the ceremony and bake refreshments. There is also a tradition for many of those in the congregation to flip over nuts and candies at the newly proclaimed adult after the ceremony, and passing out such things is a job ofttimestimes taken on by younger family members. After the service, many Jewish families jut a celebration.This has been a big change from earlier days, when there was no plaudit but simply a proclamation of the child becoming an adult. But these celebrations fix become an important part of some congregations, particularly those of American Jews. Many more traditional Jews frown upon the seeming need of many families to try and outdo each other in the extravagance of this celebration. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Page 7 of 9 One of the traditions that is often followed at Jewish celebrations, including the bnai mitzvah, is called the Kiddush.This is a pr ayer over drink that is defined as sanctification. bolshie wine is the most commonly used for this purpose and it is decided by the family who will chant the Kiddush. This can be one or more people, depending on their preference. The only one who is required to drink from the goblet of wine is the chanter of the blessing, but some prefer to pass it around so that all may have a taste, or with larger groups, cups may be provided for all. Another blessing that is given is the Motzi, which is the blessing over ice lolly.Bread is a very important part of the Jewish meal, and a plait net profit known as hallah is used for such a purpose as important ceremonies. They are symbolic, and represent not just the staff of life, but unity and peace as well (Cohen and Weinrott 151). The bread is blessed after the wine, giving thanks for the feast that is to be shared. During the Kiddush, the hallah is covered with a cloth, some traditions stating that this is to defend the bread from bei ng embarrassed because the wine is blessed first.After the blessing of the bread, there is no need for blessings to be said over any of the following courses. It is usually tradition for a grandparent, or eldest member of the family, to say the blessing over the bread as well as recognize it after the blessing. It may then be sliced and then passed around to all present, although some prefer to tear the bread with hands instead of cutting it with a knife. It is then usually salted before being eaten, and then the rest of the meal follows. A more recent tradition among the American Jews is that of the candle lighting ceremony. long dozen or fourteen people are commonly chosen to light candles that are often placed on a cake, and sometimes make a blessing over the candles for the child. A Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Page 8 of 9 cake is not always used, however, with some people preferring a candelabra or other setting. When the candles are lit is also optional, some preferring it before th e meal while others wait until after. medicament is often used to announce the tradition, and special words are often said by those lighting them and occasionally by the child as well.During the celebration is also a time when many contract to make toasts to the child and his or her in store(predicate) and to wish that child well. The parents index claim to give speeches, and usually anyone is invited to say something if they wish, although transitoriness is often appreciated. The ceremony of Havdalah, which delegacy separation, is often incorporated into Saturday night celebrations, and regarding bar and bat mitzvahs, it is a special reminder of the false bittersweet separation of youth and adulthood (Cohen and Weinrott 159).After the celebratory meal, it is a tradition to say the Birkat Ha-Mazon, which means aggrandise after the meal. Four prayers make this up, and then there are also psalms and blessing said as well. There are many choices as to who can lead this servic e, from the rabbi to the bar or bat mitzvah. However, there are also those who prefer less formal graces, and they might even include a song or other prayers. The conclusion of this grace is a prayer for peace. Music has always been a large part of the Jewish culture therefore it is often included as an important part of the celebration.The offerings of this can range anywhere from the simple to the more elaborate, depending upon the tastes of those involved. It is preferable to involve the guests with this, and that can be done in a assortment of ways, from singing to dancing, which usually includes the hora. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Page 9 of 9 The hora is a traditional spring used during Jewish celebrations. It was developed early in the twentieth century in Israel, and is a group dance, where the dancers are conjugated to each other in a circle, arms linked and hands on the shoulders of those next to them.This represents the beastliness of the community and the equality of valu e of all of the people involved After the hora often comes the contribute dance, in which the child sits in a chair and then that chair is lifted above their shoulders by those present. They are then danced that way, and often parents and other family members are allowed to share in the feelings of exultation by having their own turn in the chair. This dance emphasizes not only the individual who is put in the spotlight, but the community around that person who supports the chair and the individual during that time.The sense of community is very important to those of the Jewish faith, and this dance is a demonstration of this. observance is a very crucial part of Judaism. This can be seen in many of their holidays and ceremonies, and the importance of the bnai mitzvah can be considered to be the fact that it is this that pulls and another(prenominal) into the community of Jewish adults. The new adult is allowed then to participate in ways that only adults can, and this strengthen s the religion as a whole, passing the traditions and beliefs on to another generation so that it may again be passed on to that persons children.Perhaps the fact that the Jewish people have been through much pain and encumbrance throughout their history has helped to make these ceremonies even more important than they once were, transitioning them from a simple announcement of adulthood and respite off of responsibility by the father to the elaborate celebrations that many have today. Bibliography Cohen, Jayne and Lori Weinrott. 2004. The supreme Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration Book. New York Clarkson Potter/Publishers. Fox, Karen L. and Phylliz Zimbler Miller.1992. Seasons for Celebratoin A contemporaneous Guide to the Joys, Practices, and Traditions of the Jewish Holidays. New York The Putnam produce Group. Himelstein, Dr. Shmuel. 1990. The Jewish Prayer Questions and Answers on Jewish Faith and Cuture. New York Facts on File, Inc. Lewit, Jane and Ellen Epstein. 1996. The Bar/ Bat Mitzvah Planbook. Lanham, MD Scarborough House. Oppenheimer, Mark. 2005. Thirteen and a Day The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Across America. New York Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.