Meaning of "Bar Mitzvah"

Literally, Bar Mitzvah means "son of the commandment".
Bar is "son" in Aramaic, Mitzvah is "commandment" in both Hebrew and Aramaic. Under Jewish Law, the term refers to an adult Jew obligated to observe the Commandments, an obligation not binding children.

The Bar Mitzvah Ceremony formally marks the assumption of adult religious obligations, along with the corresponding rights to lead religious services, to be reckoned in counting the quorum for a minyan (the minimum number of people needed to perform certain parts of religious services), to enter into some contracts, but not to sell land

or to marry. In other words: a Bar Mitzvah is fully responsible for behaving morally and carrying out religious duties, and is eligible for becoming a fully fledged member of the Jewish community.

A Jewish boy automatically becomes a Bar Mitzvah after reaching the age of 13 years; a girl automatically becomes a Bat Mitzvah after the age of 12 years.

See also:
- Celebration of Bar & Bat Mitzvah
- The Right Age for Bat & Bar Mitzvah
- Sources