Celebrating My Son's Bar Mitzvah - Mayim Bialik

Celebrating  My Son's Bar Mitzvah - Mayim Bialik

Ever been invited to a bar or bat mitzvah and wonder what that even is? This video gives you a quick overview in less than ten minutes.

A bar mitzvah for males, or a bat mitzvah for females, is a Jewish celebration that honors a child’s transitioning into adulthood and taking on responsibility for sins before God. “Bar mitzvah” translates to “son of the commandment,” and “bat mizvah” translates to “daughter of the commandment.” Bar/bat terminology originates from the Aramaic languages which was commonly spoken among Jewish people in some ancient time periods, and mitvah is the Hebrew word that translates to “commandment.”

Regardless of gender, the concept usually includes both a religious ceremony and a party afterwards, though the details of both can vary wildly based on different types of Judaism as well as personal preference. The religious ceremony often includes leading prayers during a Shabbat service, reading portions of the Torah and/or Haftarah in Hebrew, and sometimes even philantrophy work for a charity of the honoree’s choice. This requires learning Hebrew as well as portions of Jewish history and law to be able to expound on some of the readings in addition to literally reading the text.

The festivities are usually the day after the religious ceremony. Ideally, the event should focus more on faith and the maturity associated with becoming a spiritual adult growing in the image of God rather than the party itself.

Written by Erin Parfet

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

More From Traditions

Schlep

Apart from its definitive meaning and use, this schlep video is a parody of Uber and Lyft taxi…
Schlep
Sha'Atnez

Sha'Atnez

Sha'atnez is the term used for clothing made with a mixture of wool and linen fibres. This…
Sha'Atnez

Torah Reading

The custom of reading from the Torah on Saturday mornings is so old that it is difficult to be…
Torah Reading

Halacha

The word Halakhah comes from the root word halakh which means “to go” and it is the name given…
Halacha

Tsitsit

The custom of putting Tsitsit, fringes or tassels, on the corners of garments originates in the…
Tsitsit

Mezuzah

A mezuzah is a little box that is nailed to the doorpost of a Jewish home. The Hebrew word…
Mezuzah

Jewish Wedding Rings

Even though we have modernized we still hold some sacred old traditions dear amongst the Jewish…
Jewish Wedding Rings

What is Kosher?

This video is an introduction to what it means to be kosher.
What is Kosher?

Challah

Bread plays a very important role in Jewish tradition. In the Torah when Holy visitors come to…
Challah

What is a Get?

A get is a divorce under halacha, or Jewish law. The word can also refer to the document that…
What is a Get?

Jewish Guide to Shiva Practices

Shiva is a weeklong mourning period following the burial of an immediate relative in a Jewish…
Jewish Guide to Shiva Practices

Yiddish Part Two

Prior to the Holocaust, Yiddish, a language more resembling Middle High German than anything…
Yiddish Part Two

Publish the Menu module to "offcanvas" position. Here you can publish other modules as well.
Learn More.


donation