Rites of Passage: About a Bar Mitzvah

One particular ritual that cultures practice focus on rites of passage or coming of age.

Picture 1, the Obsessed, Upset Post from Pastor Blog.  23 April 2014.  Accessed 26 April 2014.  http://rdrevilo.wordpress.com/tag/pastor/

In Jewish culture, at the age of 13, a child goes through their bar/bat mitzvah.  Historically, academics do not completely understand why rabbis established 13 for this age of practice (Marcus 82).  The age of 20 was when the Jewish culture fully considered a person to be an adult--they were able to own land and make financial transactions.  Academics have surmised that this ritual was important to establish the individual's personal control over their spirituality. This ceremony establishes the individual as a responsible religious Jew.  The boy or girl undergoing a bar mitzvah must undergo severe preparation that includes studies on Judaism in addition to practice of the reading and his speech.  

When a boy reaches a year and a day he undergoes his Bar Mitzvah.  The boy's father gets up and gives God a blessing.  This symbolizes that the father is no longer responsible for his son religously.  He is no longer responsible for when his son commits sins.  Another important part of the ceremony is the wearing of Telfillin.  Tefillin are black leather pouches containing verses from the Bible including the Shema (sacred passages from the Bible that also have importance to some Christians).  The Torah says that men must wear their Tefillin on their head and arms.  According to http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1912609/jewish/Bar-Mitzvah-101.htm, the Tefillin are worn as a reminder that the individual must harness their intellect, emotions and action in the service of God. The boy then undergoes an aliyah.  Aliyah means "ascent" referring to the physical ascent of the individual reading the Torah and the spiritual elevation through reading the Torah.  In the community, during special holidays, readings from the Torah are read in the synagogue.  The boy must recite a blessing before reading and after reading.  He must be trained in the practice of being called for an aliyah.   This reading depends on the community and how much they expect from their bar mitzvahs.  Some require the boys to learn the haftarah section of the Torah--this can include chants and reciting passages.  This is a community ordeal--the whole community is present as this ceremony occurs.  The commandments are spoken at this ritual by boys who are 13 or older.  Gifts are commonly given, however, they are given during the reception period rather than the ceremony period of the event.
Following the ceremony is a party.  The party is usually directly after the bar mitzvah ceremony but the proceedings depend on the community.  These parties involve a feast and usually music and dancing depending on if the bar mitzvah ceremony occurred during a religious holiday such as the Shabbat.  The last part of the ceremony is a speech by the boy undergoing the ceremony.  He either recites his speech after the bar mitzvah in the synagogue or at the reception party.

Currently, females are undergoing a Bat Mitzvah which follows along similar lines.  The female, however, begins her bat mitzvah at the age of 12.  

http://www.jewfaq.org/barmitz.htm

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1912609/jewish/Bar-Mitzvah-101.htm