Bar mitzvah facts

Bar Mitzvah = Person

A lot of people think a Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for boys, typically held when they turn 13 years old.

This is a misunderstanding of the term. The term “Bar Mitzvah” means “son of the commandment” in Aramaic and is actually the person, a boy who is coming-of-age to enter adulthood.

Bar Mitzvah Ceremony = Celebration of a Bar Mitzvah’s Transition into Adulthood

While the “Bar Mitzvah” is the boy coming-of-age, the “Bar Mitzvah ceremony” is the coming-of-age ceremony.

The “Bar Mitzvah” ceremony marks the point at which a boy is considered to be responsible for his own actions and is obligated to observe the commandments (mitzvot) of Jewish law.

During the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, the boy is usually called to the Torah to recite a portion of it, known as an Aliyah.

This is often followed by the boy giving a speech, called a D’var Torah, which discusses the Torah portion and its r

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