בר מצווה

See also: בר־מיצווה

Hebrew

Etymology

From בַּר (bar, “of the age of”, literally “son of”) and מצווה / מִצְוָה (mitzvá, “mitzvah, commandment”); hence literally “of the age of commandment”. Originally designated the man of age, then the ceremony marking that age, then the teen having said ceremony.

Noun

בר מצווה / בַּר מִצְוָה • (bar mitsvá) m (plural indefinite בני מצווה / בְּנֵי מִצְוָה, feminine counterpart בת מצווה / בַּת מִצְוָה)

1. A bar mitzvah; a male Jew who is at least thirteen years old, and therefore considered old enough to be held responsible for following most of Jewish law.
2. A bar mitzvah; a ceremony marking a male Jew's first aliyah to read the Torah after his thirteenth birthday.
3. A bar mitzvah; a male Jew who has just turned thirteen and is having or has just had a bar mitzvah ceremony.

See also

• בר מצווה on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he