Did Jesus have a bar mitzvah?

[Resurrexi]

Did Jesus have a Bar Mitzfa?

[Charms717RM1]

Just what is a Bar Mitzfa anyways? I've heard of them, but i have no clue what they are. Something about a Jewish boy becoming a man?

Edited April 30, 2006 by Charms717RM1

[homeschoolmom]

I'm pretty sure that ancient Jews didn't have a bar mitzva.

[jasJis]

First. You gotta spell it right. "Bar Mitzvah"

Bar Mitzvah (or Son of the Commandments)

Coming of Age for a Jewish Man

Bar Mitzvah is the celebration when a Jewish boy becomes a man and takes on the responsibilities of a man before GOD and Israel.

In Jesus' day boys of twelve had their Bar Mitzvah and were, in many cases, tested on their knowledge and belief in the Temple. Look at the story of Jesus in the Temple ( Luke 2 v41-52 ) in this light. He had come up to Jerusalem for his first Passover, and may well have had his Bar mitzvah while the family was there. In Jewish culture, the quality of a persons questions is seen as the best measure of his understanding and maturity. Remember how the scribes were amazed at his questions!

[Aloysius]

The ceremony of the Bar Mitzvah arose in middle ages judaism, so no he didn't. I presume that Jas's source there just assumed it was an older practice without researching the history of the practice within judaism.

And just so y'all know I'm not just blowing steam, I googled to find a Jewish source: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/lifecycle/...vah/History.htm

[dspen2005]

who cares??? what's w/ all these questions Tommy More?

[Fides_et_Ratio]

No, He didn't.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah's are more recent in Jewish tradition.

[jasJis]

I got it from 2 different Jewish sites. One was JewsForJesus (1st one), the second one is a little out of context. Today's Bar Mitzvah is the developed outgrowth and formal ritualization of old Tradition and Custom. Please reference the Bible verses. They did not call it a Bar Mitzvah, but at a certain age, males were allowed to start reading. It did not have formal rules like now.

Question

Did Jews celebrate Bar Mitzvahs in ancient time?

Answer

First, let's understand what the words "Bar Mitzvah" actually mean. The phrase literally translates to being "son of obligation" -- i.e. the person is now obligated to follow the mitzvot of the Torah.

Although we commonly refer to having a "Bar Mitzvah," technically speaking, this is impossible. The term "Bar Mitzvah" refers to a status, in the same way being a student or being a parent is a status. One is either Bar Mitzvah or not, but one cannot "have" a Bat Mitzvah.

A Jewish boy automatically becomes Bar Mitzvah when he turns 13 years old (and a girl at age 12). This is true whether there is a Bar Mitzvah celebration or not.

This would have true in AD 100, as it is true today.

Colloquially speaking, when people say, "I had a Bar Mitzvah," it means that they said the blessings over the Torah in synagogue. The reason why the Bar Mitzvah boy receives this privilege is simply to notify the congregation that he is now "obligated in mitzvot" and that he can be counted in a prayer quorum.

To learn more, read "Bar/Bat Mitzvah and Beyond" by Rabbi Nachman Cohen (published by Feldheim).

With blessings from Jerusalem,

Rabbi Shraga Simmons"

[Aloysius]

from my source:

even minors were permitted to perform many public mitzvot such as being called up to the Torah for an aliyah (reciting the blessings on the Torah) or wearing tefillin (phylacteries) as soon as they were capable of performing them with understanding.

Only later, in the Middle Ages, when the minor was generally not permitted to perform these mitzvot, did it make sense to celebrate their first public observance. By the 14th century, sources mention a boy being called up to the Torah for the first time on the Sabbath coinciding with or following his 13th birthday.

there was not really a special 'first time' for them to perform a public mitzvot in ancient times, thus no ritual like the bar mitzvah, until the Middle Ages.

[prose]

If it was around, Jesus had one.

[Aloysius]

but it wasn't around... so Jesus didn't have one

[Socrates]

Really, who cares?

[MichaelFilo]

Hahaha, who cares what Jesus's life was like.

Sorry, you made a silly comment.

Ahh, the changes of the Talmudic Jews... ahh the changes.

Anywho, this is actually quite interesting; sadly we lack jews here.

God bless,
Mikey

[Socrates]

Hahaha, who cares what Jesus's life was like.

Sorry, you made a silly comment.

Ahh, the changes of the Talmudic Jews... ahh the changes.

Anywho, this is actually quite interesting; sadly we lack jews here.

God bless,
Mikey

It would have made no difference concerning His Salvific Mission.

Why is this so important?

[MichaelFilo]

God came down and became man. Whatever God does on Earth is important, even if it were simply to pick up a stick as a child and then throw it elsewhere. Contemplating the life of Jesus is of the utmost importance and neccessity for those who enter into prayer, namely the rosary. These simple things help to illumine our mental images of his life. Everything Jesus did was important, even something like this which reminds of us His humanity.

God bless,
Mikey

Edited May 2, 2006 by MichaelFilo

[jasJis]

I think we should dress like Jesus.

[Theoketos]

Jew for Jesus are a little to bent on fundamentalism to be a trusted historical source.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

On 5/2/2006 at 9:43 AM, Theoketos said:

Jew for Jesus are a little to bent on fundamentalism to be a trusted historical source.

Additionally, I have a Jewish friend who can't stand them...I got the feeling that he considered them anti-Jewish...as such, I wouldn't trust them, since he doesn't.

[MichaelFilo]

Hahaha and Paul was anti-Jewish too from what I read about what he said about Jews.

At any rate, I think someone missed the point when mentioning that we ought to dress like Jesus as well. I'd defer to the mystics who had visions of Jesus's life and who attempted to detail every tiny miniscule detail to remind themselves and us that indeed Jesus is human as much as He is God. Every moment of Jesus's life is of importance, I think, and while that doesn't mean to go out and be a carpenter, it certainly means that Jesus' conduct is of importance. his attendance of religious services that were appropriate to his age are, as far as i can tell, a testament to the need to attend our own services especially those Rites of Christian initiation.

OF course, I don't think Jesus had a Bar Mitzfah and it seems an extention of a Talmudic sort of tradition than one found in the Bible, which certainly mentioned no sort of coming of age celebration among the Jews.

God bless,
Mikey

[toledo_jesus]

Why is this so important?

It's interesting, not important...