Religious Initiation (Bat and Bar Mitzvah)

Rituals and Music

by Ephraïm Kahn

Bar Mitzvah^[1]in Hebrew: בר מצווה, which literally means “son of the commandment,” marks in Jewish tradition a boy’s entry into religious adulthood from his thirteenth year. From then on, he becomes responsible for fulfilling the mitzvot (commandments) and is entitled to participate fully in the religious life of the community, not least by being counted in the quorum (minyan, traditional gathering of ten adult men) traditionally required to perform a service.

At the heart of this celebration, music and song occupy an essential place, through two main axes: on the one hand, the synagogal liturgy, centered on the reading of the Torah, and on the other, non-liturgical festive songs.

Preparing and Reading the Parasha

On the Saturday following his thirteenth birthday, during the morning synagogue service, the boy is called to the synagogue platform to read part of the weekly Torah portion (parasha). This ceremonial call begins with the traditional formula “Yaamod…” (” Let ascend… ”). In his collection of liturgical melodies, Musique religieuse ancienne et moderne en usage dans les temples consistoriaux israélites de Paris, Samuel David included the score under the title Appel d’un Bar Mitz’vah “ – Que Dieu te bénisse et te garde” (Call from a Bar Mitz’vah “May God bless and keep you”.).

It is customary for the young man to prepare the reading of part or all of the parasha. This public reading has become the central moment of the Bar Mitzvah. It takes on the appearance of a veritable rite of passage, often followed by cheering, singing and, in some communities, the throwing of sweets at the reader.

The parasha is read from a Torah scroll that contains the Hebrew text without vowels or cantillation marks. Hebrew, which is essentially a consonant language, requires prior study in order to read with proper pronunciation and intonation. The reading is based on the use of taamim (cantillation marks), a traditional melodic system whose melodies vary according to liturgical tradition (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, etc.). The future bar mitzvah is prepared for many months under the guidance of a teacher, learning to sing the verses according to these ancestral patterns, which emphasize the meaning of the text and make it easier to memorize.

Reading of the parasha Vayaqehel Mosheh by Benjamin Benichou (Portuguese Rite – Bordeaux)

In some communities, the teenager is also asked to read the Haftara, an excerpt from the Prophets read after the parasha, also sung with a taamim system, although the melodies are different from those of the Torah. He is sometimes encouraged to lead certain sung parts of the service, such as the Shema Israel or Psalm 150 (Hallelujah).

The morning thus takes on an initiatory dimension, marking the young boy’s integration into his community and his active participation in the transmission of Jewish liturgical heritage.

The songs of the celebration

The musical dimension of the bar mitzvah is not limited to the synagogue liturgy. It also plays a central role in the festivities surrounding the anniversary. Traditionally, the service is followed by a reception, often in the evening, where family and friends gather in a joyous atmosphere.

This celebration is punctuated by festive songs, specific to each community according to its cultural heritage. Today, it’s common for parents to organize an evening of food, music, and dancing. The musical repertoire often includes traditional melodies from the family heritage, classics of Jewish folk songs, hits from contemporary Israeli music and international popular music.

Siman tov/Mazal tov – The Chevatim

Par ailleurs, certaines chansons ont été spécialement écrites pour l’occasion. Ces chants évoquent généralement la fierté des parents ainsi que les conseils et les vœux adressés au jeune homme. Dans le répertoire francophone, on peut citer la chanson Bar Mitsva d’Élie Botbol, interprétée par les Chevatim, qui illustre parfaitement cet esprit de transmission joyeuse et festive.

Bar Mitsva – by Elie Botbol – The Chevatim

Among the texts composed specifically for the bar mitzvah are several piyyutim (paraliturgical Hebrew poetic songs) written in the XXᵉ century. The best known and most widely circulated today is the work of a Syrian-born Israeli rabbi, Yitshak Sone, entitled Semaḥ beni beḥelqekha (“Rejoice, my son, in your lot”). This moral poem is traditionally sung to the young man as a sign of encouragement as he enters adulthood.

Semah beni beḥelqekha – Menorat Hamaor Institues

Other bar mitzvah-related piyyutim were also composed during the XXᵉ century, especially in Djerba. Among them is the poet Avraham Bitan’s collection Qol Yaakov, whose title page explicitly states that it contains songs intended for this ceremony.

In 1994, ethnomusicologists Israel Adler, Simha Arom, and Hervé Roten made field recordings of the traditional piyyutim of the Jews of Djerba. One of the recorded songs, Echkol hakofer, taken from this collection, blesses the young bar mitzvah by wishing him abundance and divine protection. These songs are traditionally sung collectively, in an atmosphere of shared joy and fervor.

Echkol hakofer – Mrs Kidouchim and Yakov Bchiri (Djerba)

Last but not least in the Yiddish song repertoire is Tsu Binyumele’s Bar-Mitsve, composed by writer Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman. This song, with its light, festive tone, describes the bar mitzvah day from a convivial, social perspective. It emphasizes the role of friends and family in accompanying the young boy, and underscores the importance of music in this transition to Jewish adulthood.

The Bat Mitzvah

Long reserved for boys, the celebration of religious majority has gradually been extended to girls. Bat Mitzvah, literally “daughter of the commandment,” marks the entry into the age of religious obligation for girls twelve years of age and older. Depending on the traditions of each community, this milestone may give rise to a family celebration or even, in certain streams of Judaism, an ascent to the Torah accompanied by liturgical readings, such as the Bar Mitzvah.