Editing Bar Mitzvah

[[File:עליה לתורה בבר מצוה01.JPG|thumb|The Bar Mitzvah Aliyah L'Torah at 770]]
[[File:מכתב הרבי לבר מצווה.jpeg|thumb|The Common Text that the Rebbe Sent as a Blessing to Bar Mitzvah Boys]]
'''Bar Mitzvah''' is the time when a Jewish boy enters the yoke of Torah and mitzvos upon reaching the age of 13.

In Chassidic Teaching: The poskim debate whether the age of 13 is from the Torah, bringing proof from the possuk "Vaykchu ish - and each man took”<ref>See at length the Rebbe's words on this matter in the sicha of 19 Tammuz 1968, 75 years after the completion of the seven days of celebration (shivas yemei hamishteh) for the Bar Mitzvah of the Previous Rebbe.</ref>.

Regarding the possuk "You are My son, I have begotten you today," the [[Sefer HaZohar|Zohar]] teaches that Dovid said this verse when he became Bar Mitzvah and entered his year. Then Dovid said that Hashem "said to me: You are My son, I have begotten you today," meaning that from the level of "I am prayer," a holy neshamah was drawn down to him.

The level of Bar Mitzvah is greater than the virtue of bris milah, when the G-dly soul enters, as the Alter Rebbe brings at the beginning of Shulchan Aruch. However, this is only the level of Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. After one serves Hashem as required, he merits an even greater level, and at the time of Bar Mitzvah, the levels of Atzilus are also drawn down.

Therefore, Rabbi Shimon made a feast and great celebration when his son Rabbi Elazar became Bar Mitzvah, a simcha like a wedding. When asked about the reason for the celebration, he answered that it was because his son Rabbi Eliezer became Bar Mitzvah, as brought in the Zohar Chadash.

Preparations for Bar Mitzvah: In several letters, the Rebbe guided that preparations for Bar Mitzvah should be spiritual preparations, helping the boy properly fulfill the mitzvos he becomes obligated in from Bar Mitzvah onwards.

Accordingly, the Rebbe discouraged the custom of boys investing many hours and great effort to read the parshah publicly when this comes at the expense of other spiritual preparations, learning halachos, and so forth.

Generally, when boys asked the Rebbe how to prepare for Bar Mitzvah, the Rebbe answered that preparation should be according to the instructions of the administration of the institution where the boy learns, and in consultation with the educators who interact with him daily and know him.

== aliyah to the torah ==
At Bar Mitzvah age there is a great obligation to receive an aliyah to the Torah, and he takes precedence over everyone except a chosson on his wedding day or the Shabbos aufruf.
According to the Alter Rebbe's instruction, the Bar Mitzvah boy should try to get an aliyah at Mincha of Shabbos, and Sefer HaMinhagim states he can also get an aliyah on Monday and Thursday which are similar to Shabbos Mincha. As written in 'Sefer HaMinhagim - Chabad': "One should try that the Bar Mitzvah boy's first aliyah should be at the Torah reading of Monday, Thursday or Shabbos Kodesh Mincha."

In Igros Kodesh, the Rebbe instructs that a Bar Mitzvah boy should get an aliyah even on Rosh Hashanah, and apparently on any Yom Tov as well.

When the Bar Mitzvah boy receives his aliyah, the father recites the blessing of "Boruch Shepotrani" without Hashem's name and kingship, and they recite it even on Monday, Thursday, Rosh Chodesh and not only on Shabbos.

The Mitteler Rebbe's Aliyah to the Torah: Regarding the Mitteler Rebbe's Bar Mitzvah aliyah, the Frierdiker Rebbe related a story that explains the appropriate times for a Bar Mitzvah boy's first aliyah:

On Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei, the Alter Rebbe said Torah three times. At Mincha of that Shabbos, the Alter Rebbe himself read from the Torah and instructed that his Bar Mitzvah son should receive the third aliyah.

A deep halachic discussion developed among the great scholars who sought to explain why the Alter Rebbe delayed his son's aliyah until Shabbos and not Thursday.

The scholars' reasoning was well understood, but they questioned why he didn't receive an aliyah Shabbos morning and only at Mincha time. No one knew the reason.

Reb Chaim Avraham, the Alter Rebbe's son, was then a young child about six or seven and would regularly enter the beis medrash to listen to chassidic stories. Even as a child, Reb Chaim Avraham was very composed and didn't like to fool around.

When Reb Chaim Avraham entered the beis medrash, some young men approached him and asked if he heard the reason why the Alter Rebbe instructed that the Bar Mitzvah boy should get an aliyah at Shabbos Mincha and not Shabbos morning.

Reb Chaim Avraham related that on Friday night, the Alter Rebbe learned Zohar with his brother - the Bar Mitzvah boy. "I," related Reb Chaim Avraham, "didn't understand anything, but my brother understood well."

When he finished learning, my father told my brother: "The zeide - the Baal Shem Tov - told my teacher - the Maggid of Mezritch - that one should try to ensure a Bar Mitzvah boy's first aliyah should be on Monday or Thursday or at Shabbos Kodesh Mincha.

"The zeide (the Baal Shem Tov)," continued the Alter Rebbe to the Bar Mitzvah boy, "said that the Torah reading on Monday and Thursday is an eis ratzon (favorable time) Above, like the time of Shabbos Mincha in general, and the reading of Shabbos Mincha is the highest level and the time of ra'ava d'ra'avin (desire of all desires)."

"I," relates Reb Chaim Avraham, "didn't understand what my father discussed with my brother. It pained my heart and I began to cry. My brother told my father I was crying, and my father called me over and asked why I was crying. Then I burst into even stronger tears, complaining that I didn't understand anything my father told my brother. My father told me that when I stop crying, he would explain to me.

I stopped crying and my father told me that Berel - the Bar Mitzvah boy - had asked why he should get an aliyah at Shabbos Mincha and not Shabbos morning. I answered him that it's because at Shabbos Mincha (when opening the Aron Kodesh) we say 'Va'ani Sefilosi Lecha Hashem Eis Ratzon' - the time of Mincha prayer is an eis ratzon (favorable time).

I asked my father: Every time we daven is a good time, so why specifically during Mincha prayer?

My father answered me: The king has a special time each day to receive requests, but there are certain close associates who know when it is an eis ratzon by the king, and those who have someone close to the king submit their request during the eis ratzon.

Until age thirteen - my father said - we are free from sin. When we turn thirteen we become Bar Mitzvah and then the yetzer tov (good inclination) comes. The yetzer tov is close to the King of kings, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as he is Hashem's messenger to inspire a person to do mitzvos and good deeds, and therefore the Bar Mitzvah boy gets his first aliyah during the eis ratzon of Mincha prayer.

== Farbrengen in Honor of the Bar Mitzvah ==
Lubavitch customs - After Shacharis prayer, they gather with the Bar Mitzvah boy and say a few words in honor of the simcha, and afterward the Bar Mitzvah boy recites a maamar Chassidus (usually the maamar "Isa B'Midrash Tehillim"), and then they serve the attendees lekach (honey cake) and mashke. In the evening they make a farbrengen with a seudah and washing for bread.

The Rebbe expressed displeasure about the spread of the custom among Chassidim to rent a hall specifically for the Bar Mitzvah celebration.

Several times the Rebbe expressed satisfaction when informed that the Bar Mitzvah boy also shared a topic in nigleh (revealed Torah) in addition to the Chassidic maamar. 
== Bar Mitzvah for Immigrants ==
Since 5752 (1992), the absorption project "Merkaz Gutnick" under Kollel Chabad in the Holy Land organizes traditional celebrations for the children of heroes, during which they distribute free pairs of tefillin to hundreds of Bar Mitzvah boys.

The boys participate throughout the year in enrichment groups and Torah study programs as preparation for Bar Mitzvah, in cooperation with the Rebbe's shluchim throughout Israel.

For many years the celebration was held publicly at the Kosel Hamaaravi plaza with the participation of rabbonim and public figures. In recent years the celebration is held in a closed event at a prestigious hall with the participation of political leadership and heads of Chabad rabbonim in the Holy Land.

== Bar Mitzvah for Orphans ==
After the Six Day War, the Rebbe instructed to establish a special department within Tzeirei Agudas Chabad to organize gatherings, camps, and programs for widows and orphans of IDF soldiers who fell in various wars defending the Holy Land.

Mrs. Shifra Golombovitch (Morozov) took command.

Among the programs she organized were Bar/Bas Mitzvah events for orphans' families, where each participant in the celebration received a pair of tefillin as a gift. These celebrations were attended by state leaders and senior politicians.

The Rebbe himself addressed these events during public farbrengens.

=== See Also ===
* [[Isa B'Midrash Tehillim]]
* [[Bas Mitzvah]]

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