Bar and Bat Mitzvah
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Bat Mitzva at 65
I’m 65 years old and I am now thinking about being Bat Mitzva’ed. What benifit would it have for me? It’s truly inspiring to hear that you’re thinking about rekindling your Judaism and starting from scratch, as it were. But…
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Father’s Blessing at a Bar Mitzvah
Why does the father say a blessing when his son becomes Bar Mitzvah? Answer: You are correct. When a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah, the father recites a blessing: “Baruch Sh’petarani M’onsho Shel Zeh” “Blessed (is the One) that exempted me…
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Second Bar Mitzvah
Is there a source in the Torah for having a second Bar Mitzvah at age 83? If not, where did this custom originate? Answer: I don’t know of any basis for this (recent) custom. I assume the reason is that…
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Engraving on Bar Mitzva Gift
When engraving the date on a Bar Mitzvah gift, do you put on the birthday or the date of Bar Mitzvah celebration? There is no hard and fast rule here, since there is no established custom about engraving such gifts…
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Who Slices the Challah?
Is it just tradition or is it written into law that the oldest male slice the Challah, at a joyous occasion, such as a Bat Mitzvah. I have not heard of this particular tradition, but it is certainly not a…
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Bat Mitzvah with Big Questions
The problem seems to be: the more I learn, the less I understand. So here I am, a week before my Bat-Mitzvah, wishing to understand more than I do, unsure about even doing my Bat-Mitzvah because I feel that I…
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Bar Mitzvah’ed Too Early
I had my Bar Mitzvah before I was thirteen and I read a different Parsha than the one for my actual Hebrew Birthday. Do I have to do it again? I’m now 17. Don’t worry! Everything’s ok. A Jewish boy…
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Scheduling a Bar Mitzvah
Does the Bar Mitzvah celebration have to be done on the actual Hebrew date of the Bar Mitzvah? A Bar Mitzvah is the time when a child becomes an adult in Jewish law, and becomes responsible to keep all the…
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Patterns on the Yarmulka
I am curious about the different colors/patterns on the Yarmulka. What is their meaning and significance? The designs on a Yarmulka are based purely on the artistic preferences of the individual artist, and have no real religious significance. However, different…