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From the
Origins of Bar and Bat Mitzvah
VICTORIA EVANS
In recent years, Bar Mitzvahs (for a boy) or Bat Mitzvahs (for a girl) have become reason for a big celebration with family and friends that can be easily compared to anniversaries and weddings. The bar or bat mitzvah is a relatively modern innovation, not mentioned in the Talmud, and the elaborate ceremonies and receptions that are commonplace today were unheard of as recently as a century ago. Nowadays, the religious service is followed by a celebration at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah venue, that is often as fancy as a wedding venue. Gifts are commonly given at the reception, not at the service itself, and the nature of the gift varies significantly depending on the community. At one time, the most common gifts were college supplies; today, however, the gifts are the same sort that you would give any child for his 13th birthday. The newest Bar Mitzvah tradition is a Party Theme with favors like glow whistles, hats, masks, party-poppers and confetti to add the special touches. But where does this tradition come from
Contrary to what many believe, the bar mitzvah ceremony did not originate from the Bible; it was known long before the Jewish religion existed. Historians have discovered evidence of such rites of passage in ancient tribes and cultures. According to Jewish Law, every Jewish boy becomes a bar mitzvah at age 13, and twelve was the age chosen for a Jewish girl's passage into adulthood since girls physically mature earlier than boys. "Bar" is "son", "Bat" is “daughter” and "Mitzvah" is "commandment" in both Hebrew and Aramaic. So "Bar Mitzvah" literally means "son of the commandment", but the term is often misused to refer to the coming of age ceremony itself. The tradition of celebrating this event goes back to 15th century, and was initially meant for boys only.
According to Torah, a bar mitzvah becomes obligated by God's commandments, i.e. becomes eligible to count in a prayer quorum, lead prayer services, testify before a religious court ant to marry. After reaching 13 years of age, Jewish boys and girls are considered adults and are fully responsible for their moral and religious duties in addition to becoming a full member of the Jewish community.
Even though the bar mitzvah ceremony is not required by law and does not fulfill any commandment, today many families celebrate the occasion of a boy becoming a man with lavish parties, often at the most extraordinary Bar/Bat Mitzvah venues. In its most basic form, the celebrant is called up to the Torah to recite a blessing during Shabbat service. Today, it is common practice for the bar mitzvah celebrant to do much more. The celebrant usually learns the entire haftarah portion and recites it, or leads part of the service, or leads the congregation in certain important prayers. The celebrant is also generally required to make a speech, which usually begins with the phrase "today I am a man". The father traditionally recites a blessing thanking God for removing the burden of being responsible for the son's sins.
Finding the Right Bar / Bat Mitzvah Invitation
Religion Articles | October 7, 2008
The coming of age of a Jewish boy or girl is made memorable by a special Bar and Bat Mitzvah invitation cardThey
are specially designed for an auspicious date on which children are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life. To make that day a memorable one, make sure to get the best card.
Are you preparing to celebrate the auspicious occasion of a Bat or Bar Mitzvah? If you are planning for a perfect ceremony then you should get the right invitation card. There are actually many Bar & Bat Mitzvah invitations designed specifically for these events. If you have internet access there are many online stores that offer a variety of invitation styles and designs. The reputable online stores are safe and secure and some even provide large discounts making it cheaper to buy the cards online than in a traditional
store.
Styles of Bar / Bat Mitzvah Invitations
There are different categories of Bar Mitzvah Invitations such as the Star of David, Torah, Jerusalem and photo. For girls the Bat Mitzvah Invitation categories include color schemes such as pink and lavender as well as the traditional Jewish themes. Depending on your child there a various themes and styles that should fit their personality the best. Boys typically enjoy the colors blue, dark red and white whereas girls prefer the pinks, lavenders and purples.
Specifically the Star of David is a bright white color invitation
card with die-cut wrap that covers a lucent inserted emblem of the Star of the David, and features in shades of purple and blue. The Star of the David is highlighted because of the watercolor effect. A pre-tied silver thread holds the two pieces of the invitation card together.
For girls the Confetti is a beautiful Bat Mitzvah invitation card in which you can print your own wordings inside the radiant prism of Star of David with a sparkling
confetti on a brilliant white glossy invitation card. The magnificent pearl embossed displays a group of imprinted Stars of David on a vibrant white pearl imprinted panel card. The rainbow foil invitation card has wordings of the invitation on the dazzling white glossy card. The caption of Bayz Samekh Daled is imprinted in Hebrew on the upper right hand side.
Finalizing the Bar / Bat Mitzvah Invitation
After you have picked the right style and theme for your child's Bar / Bat Mitzvah it is important to
personalize the card. The invitation will be sent out to a multitude of friends and family members. You want the invitation to relay their importance of attending the event and your appreciation for them as a friend or family member. You can accomplish this through your own wording, but specifically relay the message to your potential guest that it would mean a great amount to you if they attended the upcoming event. Personalized cards go further than just a general invitation to an event.
After
all this is a once in a lifetime event for you and your child, making the moment memorable is the primary goal. With the availability of unique invitations today, this should be a fairly stress free endeavor. Don't hesitate to start looking for the right invitation and ceremony items now
, waiting to the last minute can possibly limit your choices and force you to settle for a second best ceremony. We all want the best for our children in these important moments of becoming an adult. Choosing the right Bar Mitzvah invitations or Bat Mitzvah invitation can help make this a memorable event.
Article Tags: Mitzvah Invitation, Invitation Card, Mitzvah Invitations
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brandon Morgan is an author for Dependable Printing, a full service provider of Bar Mitzvah Invitations and Bat Mitzvah Invitations. For a great selection of Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah invitations please visit Dependable Printing.
Save the Date Cards for
Your Bar Mitzvah - Do You Really Need Them?
By: Linda Kling
Bat mitzvah and bar mitzvah save the date cards are a relatively new concept. They have increasingly grown in popularity over recent years. But isn't an invitation enough? Do you really need to send out bar mitzvah save the date cards, too?
No, save the date cards are not an absolutely necessary prelude to your child's bar mitzvah. But there are some circumstances where it might be a good idea to consider. Here's some questions to help you decide.
1. Does your guest list include friends and loved ones from out of town? If people have to travel to get to your child's bar mitzvah, then sending save the date cards can give them extra time to make those travel arrangements. The more advance notice they have, the better chance they have to track down airline and hotel discounts. They may also need to schedule vacation time so they can attend.
2. Does your child have friends who may also be planning a bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah around the same time? Since his or her friends will all be around the same age, the odds are good there could be some overlapping. Of course, your child will want his friends to share his celebration, so sending out save the dates can alert the parents before they make their own plans.
3. Does the date of your child's bar mitzvah coincide with any holidays or school vacations? Take in account weekends around Thanksgiving and Columbus day or any holiday where people might make plans because they have extra time off from work or school. Also, keep in mind that schools have different schedules for winter break and spring break. If you let your guests know your special date before they make other plans, it's more likely that they will choose to attend your child's bar mitzvah.
But even if you are only having a small party to celebrate this rite of passage in your child's life, with local people attending, you might still want to send bar mitzvah save the date cards anyway. Why, because they're fun! It's your first chance to announce this event in a big way and get your guests excited about sharing this special day.
If you decide to go this route, you can do it very inexpensively. One easy idea is to buy a posterboard and print on it in big bold letters - Save the Date for My Bar Mitzvah - followed by the date. Take a photo of your child holding the sign, get reprints, and send them out.
Is your child creative, or are you? If so, you can paint, draw, scrapbook just one save the date card. Then photograph, scan it, or take it to the copy center. You can print it at home, make color copies at the office supply store or have a local printer run off your creation. These will really get noticed by your potential guests because they are so original.
Another alternative is photo bar mitzvah save the date cards. These really stand out and often cost less than save the date cards you would pick out of an invitation book in a store. Check online for the best deals. You can even find photo bar mitzvah save the date cards that use multiple photos of your child, so everyone who receives it can see how he or she has grown. Some online companies can tie your child's theme into the photo cards, so shop around to see what's available.
You could also go with photo magnets for save the dates. The magnets might cost a little more, but if you want to send something your guests will immediately stick on their refrigerators, then this is a good option. They are not likely to forget a date that they see on their fridge every day. These come in different sizes to fit every budget.
Bar mitzvah save the date cards are not mandatory. But if you decide to give your guests this extra advance notice, they are sure to appreciate the consideration. Whether you craft your own cards, order photo bar mitzvah save the date cards or go with magnets, you don't need to spend a lot of money. Just get the word out, so that friends and loved ones will mark their calendars and reserve the day for your child's bar mitzvah.
About the Author
Linda Kling is the owner of Photo Party Favors, which offers personalized photo favors and custom invitations. Visit her website for more information on photo bar mitzvah save the date cards, featuring your multiple photos, as well as free printable candy bar wrappers, party recipes, more.
(ArticlesBase SC #759157)
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Save the Date Cards for Your Bar Mitzvah - Do You Really Need Them?
BAR/ BAT MITZVAH
'Sharings'
Rebecca’sOutstanding Bat Mitzvah Speech
By Rebecca Jacoby
Vayakhel
is the Hebrew name of my Torah portion. It is the story of God
choosing a man to build the Ark of the Covenant. God chooses a man
named Bzalel. Bzalel has a tough job because he has to follow the
exact directions given to him by God. One of God’s rules is to make
sure that the ark has gold inside and out. Bzalel is also told to put
knobs that poles fit into on the sides so that it can be lifted up by
strong men. On the top of the ark covered with gold there were two
statues of angels made of gold looking down and facing towards each
other. The ark wasn’t seen as just a place to store the tablets; it
was also made to be a throne for God with the angels acting as arms
for God to rest on. Bzalel had many other jobs too. He also had to
make a menorah, altar, and other things for the sanctuary.
Bzalel
made all of these things for the sanctuary, to honor God. They were
also made so that the Israelites had a place on which to focus,
meaning even though God is everywhere they could look to one specific
place. If we didn’t have a place to worship God or focus upon then
we would have a tough job speaking to God or praying in his presence.
This is the same reason why we have sanctuaries today.
The ark
needed to be gold inside and out, so that it looked beautiful and
important. I think of the ark and all the other things that Bzalel
made as artwork. I guess I think of them as art because they supposed
to be beautiful and catch your eye when you saw them. Art is supposed
to be inspiring and I imagine that if I ever saw the ark or any of
the other things Bzalel made I would be inspired to do something with
all my heart. This is similar to when I dance. We work very hard in
class and then when we go to competitions we dance with all our
hearts. Then when we do well we feel very good about ourselves, and
we feel like all of our hard work in the studio was worth it.
A
Midrash is a story that Rabbis made up to explain something in the
Torah. A Midrash or story on why the ark needed to be gold inside and
out was that a person is like an ark, meaning that what shows on the
outside should also show on the inside. We should be genuine and not
try to be somebody that we aren’t. Even if we want to be part of a
certain group at school, in the end we’re all going to fit in
somewhere. I hope that when people look at me they see a kind,
caring, and nice person. I also hope that people see a patient person
who will work extremely hard to get what she wants. I enjoy things
like clothes, makeup, and hair, but I am also a very good student and
have friends that I truly care about.
To me and my parents the
meaning of becoming a Bat Mitzvah is that I am becoming a Jewish
adult. My father says that it is a rite of passage for every Jewish
thirteen year old to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah and is an important
educational experience. Once I learn how to chant the Torah, I will
know how to do it for the rest of my life. He also feels that it is
important to carry on the survival of the Jewish religion. My mom
feels the importance of this day in her soul. She feels that it is
important for me to become a Bat Mitzvah because a lot of Jews have
died so that I can be here today on this special day in my life and
make sure that many people will be able to become a Bar or Bat
Mitzvah many years after me. My mom is also very proud of me because
she knows that all my grandparents would be extremely proud of me,
especially my grandpa because he felt the same way. He didn’t care
so much about just going through the motions of prayer, but he would
have been so proud of me for following through with this whole thing.
I used to feel the same way about the prayers and thinking it was
very boring, but now after this day I might feel differently. I know
how hard I worked to make sure that everything I did today was
perfect, and I think that from this day on every time I recite all
the prayers I did today I will remember this very day with me
standing in front of all my friends and family who I know are so
proud of me. Going through this whole experience really made me
realize how much my religion, friends, and family really mean to me.
For my tzedakah project I did the Jimmy Fund Walk and went to
visit children at the Jimmy Fund. I chose to do this because a
friend’s daughter is affected by a cancer. The walk was pretty fun,
and my parents and I have decided to do it every year. Between my
raising of money and everybody else on “Team Lexi and Kristen”,
we made a few thousand dollars that is going towards research on
Lexi’s specific type of Brain Tumor. When my mom and I went to the
Jimmy Fund we expected it to be a very sad place where everybody was
crying, but it really wasn’t. Everybody was very positive. It was
like all the children there were fine, but not exactly. They just try
to make it seem like everybody is just going in for a yearly
check-up. This all goes along with why the ark had to be gold inside
and out. I say this because just because some kids might lose their
hair from chemo therapy it really doesn’t change who they are on
the inside. The moral of is “don’t judge a book by its cover”,
and I had so much fun doing the Jimmy Fund walk and visiting the kids
because it was such an uplifting experience and learning process just
like preparing for this big day has been.
Last, but not least I
would like to thank everybody being here today. I would especially
like to thank my mom and dad for their love and for being there
through the whole time I was preparing. I would also like to thank my
Aunt Norma, Uncle Bruce, and Cousins Tara and Greta for listening to
me practice while they were visiting. I would also like to thank all
of my Hebrew School teachers. Last I would like to thank Rabbi
Meszler, and Cantor Klepper for preparing me for this wonderful day
that I will remember for the rest of my life. Again I would like to
thank everybody for being here today and supporting me. Thank you so
much. I would also like to congratulate Alexa on becoming a Bat
Mitzvah on this Bimah with me today. Shabbat Shalom!!!!!!!!!!!!