Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Netivyah: Preparing the Next Generation

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you nor is far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ …But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

I love the straightforwardness often seen in the Torah. In times of such ambiguity and relativism, it's good to have something clear and direct that we can count on.

We see in these verses that what God expects from us can be simple to understand, easy to find, explicitly written in His instructions, and attainable. We can pursue it knowing that it's possible to achieve it, not only for geniuses or gifted people, but for each one of us.

Jewish tradition usually points to keeping Shabbat as the tradition that protected Israel for centuries. It's true indeed, but allow me to add another one—the Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. Bar Mitzvah means “son of the commandment.” Originally, it only referred to a faithful Jew, a man who kept the Law of God as taught by the Scriptures. There is no commandment in the Bible about a specific ceremony to celebrate the moment one becomes a responsible and self-accountable Jew. Jewish society naturally organized itself around the feasts and liturgy; as tradition evolved, some moments in the life cycle were selected and given special meaning.

In Romans 8:7, we read,

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."

As Romans explains, God knows our flesh fights against His plans, so He inspired the Jewish people to start training young people, preparing boys and girls around the age of 12 or 13 to be accountable and responsible, thus protecting their future and the next generation. The Bar Mitzvah preparation then became a highly anticipated moment in every Jewish home, not only because the teenagers start their journey as an adult, but also because they're growing in their journey alongside the One who made them—the God who protected and guided their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s an amazing opportunity to encourage and inspire their walk with the God of Israel, which isn’t always an easy journey, but the Bar Mitzvah preparation is there to help and give a solid start to the next generation.

Do you know where we find the earliest reference to this preparation process? No, not in any Jewish writing. But if you remember the story about Yeshua in the Temple, you are headed in the right direction. In Luke 2, we read about a young Yeshua studying with, and being tested by Jewish scholars and sages at the age of 12 years old. We can assume that it wasn’t something unusual. He was just focusing on His calling as the Messiah.

The Word of God was given so we, too, can fulfill our purpose. We need to read and study it, and once we understand what we’re expected to do, we do it. As I mentioned before, there are no mysteries, nothing esoteric or hidden about the Bible. God’s instructions are clear and He wants us to succeed and be blessed.

And my friends, looking at all the fast changes happening in the world right now, there is no people more central to God's plans than the People of Israel. The youth we’re training today will probably be part of placing some of the pieces of God's big puzzle right here in Israel. You can check for yourselves in the Scriptures, what God will do here in Israel before the end times, and we need to be ready.

With that in mind, Netivyah has created a program based on the traditional Bar and Bat Mitzvah training, with a special focus on our youth's needs—to empower them and enable the next generation of believers in Israel to understand the Jewish perspective of the Scriptures and also Jewish traditions. Hopefully, they will apply those to their lives as well. And, with God's help, they will share it — not only the good news about the Messiah, which is important, but they will also carry out the special calling of the People of Israel, which is to be a light and an example to the nations.

In Philippians 4:9, we read,

"The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."

The world is trying to steal our youth from our churches, from our congregations, and this text is the foundation where our Bar Mitzvah training stands. Our youth needs healthy role models, and more importantly, they need to know how the Bible can be beneficial for them. The Torah can be their good friend and company, no matter their circumstances.

Pictured above: one of our Torah scrolls at our local kehilla, Roeh Israel.

The main subject of our Bar Mitzvah preparation is to be able to read the Torah using the traditional Torah melodies. In Jewish liturgy, we traditionally sing the text instead of reading it, which is a way of giving honor to the Scriptures, and worshiping God. It’s also a wonderful tool for memorizing and understanding the text. The Torah has no vowels, no commas, no punctuation, no chapter or verse indication, no beginning or end. The student will learn how to use the Torah scroll, interpret the text, and enunciate the phrases according to the Hebrew grammar, as well as learn melodies that make the reading pleasant and easier to understand.

But of course, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program involves more than just singing. We invest a good part of the time analyzing the text since understanding the Scriptures is our top priority. Our objective is to motivate the students to go deeper and interpret their Torah Portion. They will be challenged to find subjects and themes that interest them and prepare their first teaching from the Scriptures.

We have celebrated amazing Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, where boys and girls presented their Torah reading maturely, after which they gave truly inspired messages about their insights from their Torah Portions. People might think that teenagers are still somewhat young to truly understand spiritual themes. But in fact, the teenagers manage to inspire us as adults. And after their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, when they return to their congregation, they will be able to serve there even more as active members of their communities.

The whole course takes months and involves personal investment from the students and their parents. Netivyah provides this training with love and free of charge. Since Netivyah opened its doors with this program, we have already had dozens of students from different cities and congregations all over Israel. This is our way of contributing to the local Body of Messiah with a little of what God blessed us with.

As with any rite of passage, the Bar Mitzvah preparation can be tough. And yet, usually it becomes a very meaningful process in which the students are supported by their families, and naturally mature as they grow through their understanding of the Word of God. And so, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony becomes a truly blessed event for all of us.
Young people are capable of finding their spiritual path, and their journey towards God. But they need our support and guidance along the way. We just need to put them in the right direction. God’s Spirit will do the rest.