Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a kind of coming of ceremony for Judaism or it represent for men or women who have a responsibility religiously and socially to protect Jewish law. Bar Mitzvah is for thirteen-year boys, and Bat Mitzvah is for twelve-year girls. When boy turn thirteen and girl become twelve, they are recognized that they have religious and social responsibility which follows the Jewish law. People who are Jewish celebrate about this. It is happened on Sabbath when western religious people must not do anything. On the Bar Mitzvah day, the boy read a part of Jewish law, hold morning worship and so on. Today, many non-orthodox Jews celebrate Bat Mitzvah same as boy, but the majority of orthodox Jews reject the idea that a woman read the Jewish law. Therefore, girls can’t read Jewish law, but they can get a lecture about Jewish to mark their coming of age, learn about Jewish law and so on. Traditionally, common gifts are religious or educational books, religious items, writing tools, money, etc. Also, they are given tallit from their parents. Tallit is a Jewish prayer shawl, and it is used during morning worship.
For this celebration, people spend a lot of money, and invite many people, so it becomes more like a party and less religious. Therefore, recently some religious leaders criticize that they loss the original meaning of Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
I think symbolic item is a tallit. It is symbol of Jewish, adult, and connection with parents. And then, in my opinion, Bar/Bat mitzvah is a ritualization. It set apart from regular activities, repetitive activities, has a symbolic item, so it is more ritual, but according to Wikipedia, people who don’t have enough money to celebrate this or who don’t belong to Jewish church are also recognized that they have a responsibility. All people who turn twelve or thirteen years are recognized that they have a responsibility and they can join all Jewish community activities. Therefore Bar/Bat Mitzvah can be a ritualization.
For this celebration, people spend a lot of money, and invite many people, so it becomes more like a party and less religious. Therefore, recently some religious leaders criticize that they loss the original meaning of Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
I think symbolic item is a tallit. It is symbol of Jewish, adult, and connection with parents. And then, in my opinion, Bar/Bat mitzvah is a ritualization. It set apart from regular activities, repetitive activities, has a symbolic item, so it is more ritual, but according to Wikipedia, people who don’t have enough money to celebrate this or who don’t belong to Jewish church are also recognized that they have a responsibility. All people who turn twelve or thirteen years are recognized that they have a responsibility and they can join all Jewish community activities. Therefore Bar/Bat Mitzvah can be a ritualization.
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