24
votes
Accepted
Revoking bar mitzvah
Obviously, this is just a joke. A bar mitzvah can't be revoked.
Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation
A Jewish boy automatically becomes a bar mitzvah upon reaching the age
of 13 years, and ...
- 43.5k
11
votes
Orthodox recognition of Reform bar mitzvah
Becoming bar or bat mitzvah simply means that one has achieved the age of majority as recognized in Jewish law. This means that one can fully participate in communal life (being capable of exempting ...
- 9,590
10
votes
Bat mitzvah - I'm female aged 50. Never been taught or had a bat mitzvah
Welcome and congratulations on your search and efforts!
First and foremost you should approach the rabbi in a local synagogue or Chabad house.
Beyond that, there is a wonderful organization called ...
- 54k
9
votes
Bat mitzvah - I'm female aged 50. Never been taught or had a bat mitzvah
Absolutely. I have no idea where you live, but you might try the nearest branch of Chabad or Aish.
- 73.9k
8
votes
Revoking bar mitzvah
As stated above, the Bar Mitzvah, itself, is automatic, and it doesn't need any rabbinical intervention whatsoever.
However, I see that you said specifically, Bar Mitvah "honor". Depending on what ...
- 71.5k
7
votes
What do Orthodox communities do for profoundly-disabled 13-year-olds (bar mitzvah or similar)?
I am a charadi yid living in NYC. I can describe what I did for my severely disabled (non verbal, non mobile, blind) son. [He had a stroke as a result of side effect to a medication at 2.5 years].
On ...
- 71
7
votes
Why are huge challot displayed on the wedding couple / Bar Mitzvah's table?
The earliest source for having a large Challah at a wedding is the Maasas Binyomin (d. 1620)
There is a wide spread custom to distribute slices of the large challa to the friends of the Chosson and ...
- 11.2k
6
votes
About coming back to Jewish practice
A Bar Mitzvah ceremony or celebration is a just a custom - a nice way of signifying the occasion of one's becoming obligated in the commandments, but it is not a prerequisite and does not actually ...
- 6,535
5
votes
Is one obligated to do Bar Mitzvah if one's father didn't do it for him?
R. Moshe Feinstein wrote the following in a responsum:
Igrot Moshe O.C. 1:104
ואי איישר חילי הייתי מבטל במדינתנו גם סדר הבר מצוה של הבנים שכידוע לא
הביא זה שום איש לקרבו לתורה ולמצות ואף לא את ...
- 50.3k
5
votes
Accepted
What do Orthodox communities do for profoundly-disabled 13-year-olds (bar mitzvah or similar)?
You've asked an interesting question. I've seen several Bar Mitzvah affairs done on Shabbat for cerebral palsy kids and those with all kinds of disabilities.
I have a close friend who has an autistic ...
- 71.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Dancing at Bar Mitzvah Celebration during Sefira
Seder Pesach K'hilchoso - Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Grossman says that if it is Bo Bayom of the Bar Mitzva boy or if there is a Siyum at the beginning of the celebration dancing is permitted.
I have heard ...
- 140k
5
votes
Kriyat haTorah helper materials
The Simanin Tikkun (published by Feldheim) has many notes like this in a section they call Shitah Mekubetzet.
- 46.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Appropriate bat mitzvah gift from non-jew
In the circles in which I travel (American, generally modern/centrist Orthodox), there aren't any particular restrictions on acceptable gifts for a Bat/Bar Mitzva. The types of gifts I've seen most ...
- 48.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Does a father recite Baruch Shepetarani for an adopted son
The Rema in OC 225:2 indeed writes a father should say the blessing for his son and such is the Ashkenazi custom. But note this is not a blessing with a source in the Talmud (rather it comes from the ...
- 54k
3
votes
Tefillin under Bar Mitzvah
R. Yosef Messas has a responsum about this. He states that the actual halacha is that if a minor knows how to treat tefillin properly – not to sleep in them, not to pass gas in them, not to bring them ...
- 50.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Why do we say bar mitzvah instead of ben mitzvah?
R. Yitshak Osterlits writes (1) that this is because בר also means 'outside' in Aramaic. The one becoming Bar Mitsvah, is still an outsider to the realm of mitsvot, since he is only now entering it.
...
- 36k
3
votes
What time does a bar mitzvah come into effect?
This is a matter of dispute among the acharonim. For example, in Shulchan Aruch O.C. 53:10, R. Moses Isserles writes that someone who will turn 13 on Shabbat should not lead the Friday night services ...
- 50.3k
3
votes
In Jeremiah 1:6-7 was Jeremiah actually a child?
Regarding the ability to carry out a mission, the term נַ֣עַר would usually not mean child (under bar mitzvah). For example, Avaraham took Eliezer and Yishmael with him to the Akodah and both of them ...
- 43.5k
3
votes
Is it against custom to celebrate a bar mitzvah on rosh hodesh Av?
Nitei Gavriel Hilchos Bain HaMitzarim Volume 1 40:14 brings in the name of the Yad Efraim and Magen Avaraham that one may have meat and wine at a Bar Mitzva Seuda during the nine days. He goes on to ...
- 140k
3
votes
Why do we use the term "Bar Mitzva"?
In addition to @Shalom's answer in the comments, maybe we can offer another answer בדרך אפשר:
Rabbeinu Yonah in Sharei Teshuvah (שער ג, אות כב) says:
ומצות תפילין ומצות מזוזה - מצוות עשה הן, והנן ...
- 3,592
2
votes
Bar Mitzvah before Circumcision?
See also Melamed leHoil 2:79 from Rav Hoffman of Berlin who wrote that min hadin it's mutar, however, according to the circumstances it might be reasonable not to do so.
The rabbis of the city have ...
- 1,353
2
votes
Saying Baruch Shepatrani for a girl
There are many poskim with answers to this question. Note that there are various opinions as to why we say this bracha in the first place, so not every posek uses the same assumptions in order to draw ...
- 7,056
2
votes
What happens at an Orthodox Bat Mitzvah?
I attended a lovely bnot mitzvah this year at an Orthodox shul. There was a quiz game where the girls demonstrated their knowledge of halacha. I was impressed! There was jewelry making, singing, ...
- 51
2
votes
Why the 1 year difference between Bar/Bat Mitzva?
The Teshuvos Ha'Rosh (Klal 16-1) as well as other Rishonim point out that the age of Bar/Bas Mitzvah is a Halacha Li'Moshe Mi'Sinai and they imply that no ta'am was given. However since the concept of ...
- 5,147
2
votes
Becoming Bar Mitzvah on Shabbas but made early kiddush
I asked this question to Rav Zev Leff and he said (as pointed out in the comments) that there are many examples of someone fulfilling something as a child and then becoming bar mitzvah. One example he ...
- 20.2k
2
votes
About coming back to Jewish practice
One expression, bar mitsva has many significations. In halacha to be bar mitsva is to reach the majority according to the Jewish law. There is a custom to give to the young major man to take some ...
- 23.1k
2
votes
Wearing a tallit when you are bar mitzvahed but not married, when it isn't your minhag
See this article. It depends on how the custom originated, as that would dictate some of the rules.
I'm inferring from your question that the bar mitzvah boy inherited the custom from his father who ...
- 71.5k
2
votes
Do Conservative boys give a d'var Torah on or after their bar Mitzvah?
I am unaware of any "formal halacha" that requires this. As a matter of fact, halachically, absolutely no party whatsoever is required for a Bar Mitzvah.
It has been a long-time custom to make some ...
- 71.5k
2
votes
Accepted
bar mitzvah medals
Here you go for bronze.
Here you go for silver.
These are not from the current year (I'm not sure if they exist) but they do not have the year on them (only on the box) so it should do fine to give ...
- 19.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible