WHAT IS BAR AND BAT MITZVAH?
Judaism is based on an idea that God communicates with people. God communicates in many ways. A principal source of that message for the Jewish people is the Torah. Within the Torah, God tells us to behave in certain ways which, over the centuries, have shaped the Jewish way of life. These rules are called mitzvot, a Hebrew term meaning “commands.” They are commands not only because God should have a commanding voice in our lives, but because the rules themselves are compelling. We are drawn to them precisely because they are designed to create a sense of the sacred within the world, a sanctity based on justice, compassion, and peace. A single command is known as a mitzvah. A Bar or Bat Mitzvah is one who is both aware and committed to following the commands known collectively as mitzvot. A Bar or Bat Mitzvah is one who makes the commitment to live life in accordance with God’s will.
At thirteen years of age, a boy becomes a Bar Mitzvah. At twelve years of age, a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah. The status is automatic; no ceremony is required. The ceremony in place today is our way of saying that we will take nothing for granted. We want our families and our young people to fully understand what a privilege it is to be able to follow God’s will and to live a full, rich, Jewish life.
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Updated July 12, 2006 
