Bar mitzvah, << bahr MIHTS vuh, >> is the entry of a Jewish boy into the adult Jewish community. The boy who has attained religious adulthood is called a bar mitzvah. The term means son of the commandments. The celebration of the occasion is also called a bar mitzvah.
When a Jewish boy reaches physical maturity, assumed to be the age of 13, he is responsible for all the observances, obligations, and prohibitions of a Jewish adult. No formal religious ceremony is needed for this to happen. Traditionally, however, a boy demonstrates his new status by participating in or, preferably, leading public worship. He may conduct a public service, read from the Torah (Law) in Hebrew, or chant a portion from the Biblical prophets. After the service, it is customary for the bar mitzvah’s parents to host a party. Friends, relatives, and members of the Jewish community are invited to share in the festivities.
