What Is A Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah?
Translated as “Son/daughter of the commandments”, one becomes a Bar (boys) or Bat (girls) Mitzvah at age 13 (12 for girls in most Orthodox congregations) independent of a ceremony marking the occasion. By tradition, because a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony is a custom not a commandment, age 13 is when a child becomes obligated to the ritual responsibilities of Jewish life. This is referred to as the “commandment age”, the “age of majority”, or a “religious coming of age”. At this point in the young adults life, he or she is presumed to be responsible for those religious obligations independent of the parents. Those obligations might include mitzvot, being part of a minyan (religious prayer quorum), fasting on Yom Kippur, leading the congregation in prayer or wearing tefillin. Therefore, becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is certainly an important life-cycle event. In secular terms, this point in a teen’s life, often marks enormous growth and maturity reflected by several years of study and practice
