בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוק בְּדִבְרֵי תורָה:
Blessing for Torah Study
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha'Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu La'asok Bedivrei Torah
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, Sovereign of Eternity, who has made us holy through Your sacred commandments and commanted us to immerse ourselves in the words of Torah.
(כא) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לַמִּקְרָא, בֶּן עֶשֶׂר לַמִּשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַמִּצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לַתַּלְמוּד, בֶּן שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לַחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדֹּף, בֶּן שְׁלשִׁים לַכֹּחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לַבִּינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לָעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים לַזִּקְנָה, בֶּן שִׁבְעִים לַשֵּׂיבָה, בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים לַגְּבוּרָה, בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים לָשׁוּחַ, בֶּן מֵאָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵת וְעָבַר וּבָטֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם:
(21) He [Yehudah ben Teima] used to say: Five years is the age for the study of Torah/Bible, Ten is the age for the study of Mishnah, Thirteen is the age for observing mitzvot (commandments), Fifteen is the age for the study of Talmud, Eighteen is the age for the wedding canopy, Twenty is the age for pursuit (of a livelihood), Thirty is the age for strength, Forty is the age for understanding, Fifty is the age for giving counsel, Sixty is the age for elderly status, Seventy is the age for a grey head, Eighty is the age for might, Ninety is the age for a bending stature, One hundred is the age at which one is as if dead, passed away, and ceased from the world.
Rabbis Deborah Waxman and Joshua Lesser
Understanding the B'nei Mitzvah experience as a rite of passage requires that we have some insight into the reasons why such rites of passage are necessary. In many cultures, rites of passage help with major life transitions that are psychological, biological and social in nature. These changes often spark emotional and spiritual challenges that are eased by a ritualized way of marking life transitions. Rites of passage not only enable the individuals involved to see themselves in a new perspective, but also help their friends, family and community members. Many such rituals are designed to reinforce values that are part of the culture or religion of the community.
The B'nei Mitzvah ceremony is a ritual that celebrates a child's coming-of-age in Jewish tradition. Traditionally, once a child turned 13, they were considered to be bound by the Jewish mitzvot (lit. commandments). The term Bar/Bat/B'nei Mitzvah literally means Son/Daughter/Children of The Commandment(s).
Today, the process of becoming Bar/Bat/B'nei Mitzvah is a means through which children:
- Wrestle with the teachings of their tradition;
- Explore their newly-forming autonomy over their Jewish, spiritual, and ethical lives;
- Become inaugurated into a particular Jewish community (here at SHS, for instance) along with the community of world Jewry, both now and throughout time, with newfound status. As 13-year-olds, they are considered full "voting" members; their presences are henceforth counted when determining whether there is a minyan (quorum) in a particular community;
- Develop a range of skills through which they can express themselves Jewishly, including through Torah and haftarah chanting, crafting divrei torah (teachings of Torah), prayer literacy, and music.