Jewish Bar Mitzvah :: History Behind the Bar Mitzvah Party

The Bar Mitzvah Party is held as part of the celebration of a young Jewish boy turning thirteen and symbolically becoming a man. In past times he literally took on the burdens and responsibilities of manhood, so this was a very important and also somewhat nerve-wracking time. Bar Mitzvah means ‘son of commandment.’ In Judaism every day life is closely related to religious practices and as part of becoming an adult the boy is also accepting his religious and moral responsibilities. As a man he will take responsibilities for his actions and try to lead his life by the guiding principles of the Ten Commandments. These are a set of rules used in Judeo-Christian religions to help lead an appropriate, morally responsible life.

The Bar Mitzvah celebration appears to have started in an early form long before Judaism existed as a way for boys to officially come of age. These very early coming of age ceremonies probably consisted of physical tests of manhood, but as Judaism developed these tests changed over to spiritual ones. Now a boy usually must memorize and read aloud a passage of the Torah in Hebrew in front of his friends, family and other members of the synagogue where he is having his Bar Mitzvah celebration. However in earlier times the boy would simply go to his Rabbi on his thirteenth birthday to be blessed, and to pray with him.

After that date it was expected that the boy now turned man would follow the Ten Commandments. Now we have a great party as well as the religious ceremony. Usually the party is held on the nearest Sabbath or Saturday to the boy’s thirteenth birthday. There will be lots of food at a kind of reception after the ceremony. Parents may also hire a DJ or live music for the guests to dance and often the young man will receive special gifts help him on his way in manhood.

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