Rabbi Yehiel Ya’akov Weinberg’s Argument in Favor of Bat Mitzvah Celebrations

The importance of the teshuva on Bat Mitzvah by Rabbi Weinberg in the early 1960’s is that this major 20th century halakhic authority considered that Bat Mitzvah ceremonies can have value, regardless of whether there is any precedent for them in Orthodox communities. One must remember, however, that in this responsum, Rabbi Weinberg stated that a Bat Mitzvah should not take place in a synagogue, even at night, but rather in a private home or in a hall adjacent to the synagogue. His emphasis was on the educational aspect, and he stresses that the rabbi should give a d’rasha about the traditional responsibilities of a Jewish woman. 

Some authorities oppose the Bat Mitzvah celebration on the grounds of: “You shall not follow their ways.” (Lev.18:3)… However the initiators of this practice claim that they intend thereby to inculcate in the girl’s heart a feeling of love for the commandments and pride in their Jewishness… It makes no difference to us that non-Jews celebrate their own confirmation ceremonies… There are those who oppose celebration of the Bat Mitzvah in the grounds that it goes against the practice of generations past, who did not follow that practice. Their contention, though, is really not legitimate, for previous generations did not have to deal with girls’ education… Girls who grew up in Jewish homes inhaled the Jewish spirit effortlessly… Now, though, the generations have changed drastically… Straight logical reasoning and basic principles of pedagogy nearly compel us to celebrate girls’ reaching the age of obligation in mitzvot as well. The distinction that is made between boys and girls on the issue of celebrating their maturation deeply injures the human sensibilities of the young woman who, in other domains, has already been awarded with so-called emancipation. 

(Seridei Esh, 3:93, Mossad Harav Kook. Jerusalem, 1966. The responsum was written at the end of 1962 or early 1963 and first appeared in Hapardes, Nissan 1963. Rabbi Weinberg died in 1966.)

Triplets 4 A Cause

Anna, Julia, and Noah Greenblatt recently finished fifth grade at Rosenbaum Yeshiva in River Edge, New Jersey, but these enterprising triplets have already begun their hesed component for Julia and Anna’s B’not Mitzvah this coming winter and Noah’s Bar Mitzvah the following year. Though these siblings will not celebrate reaching gil mitzvot at the same time, they have found a perfect way to work together: the three 11-year-olds have set up their own website (www.triplets4acause.com) to publicize tzedakah and hesed projects they have initiated. This is how they describe their effort:

They have already planned and carried out a number of projects. Touched by horrific stories about genocide in Darfur, they prepared and hosted a “cookie and cocoa” sale, raising more than $1,800 to send to the Tel Aviv Foundation, an organization that provides shelter, food, clothing, and other needs for young refugees from Darfur who live in Tel Aviv. For their second project, they worked in a Manhattan soup kitchen on Thanksgiving as a way of expressing their gratitude for their good fortune in being able to afford food and helping those who cannot. Describing their day in the soup kitchen, the triplets noted the importance of talking to the people who came to get food and learning a little about their lives. 

This summer the Greenblatt triplets decided to raise money to buy a special bike for a 12-year-old Teaneck boy with cerebral palsy. By assembling and selling care packages for kids in camp and promoting the project on their website, they hope to raise even more than the cost of the bike. Any extra proceeds will go to the Friendship Circle of Bergen Country, New Jersey, which helps families of children with special needs.

Although incorporating hesed into the celebration process is not a new phenomenon, with new generations and new technologies come new possibilities. The Greenblatts are using the Internet to make their efforts as successful as possible; donations have come in from far afield, as have suggestions for new projects and appeals for worthy causes. The website also serves as an example for people of all ages to see what can be accomplished by a Bar or Bat Mitzvah or certainly by three of them together.

JOFA Presents: Women and Men in Communal Prayer: Halakhic Perspectives

The role of women in the synagogue is a major issue in contemporary Jewish life. This year, JOFA published a book dealing with the halakhic arguments relating to women leyning from the Torah in synagogue and receiving aliyot. These are complex issues, and in this volume, meticulously edited by Dr. Chaim Trachtman, JOFA presents a balanced review of the relevant halakhic literature, including contributions that argue that halakha does allow for women’s aliyot and keri’at haTorah, as well as those that oppose that view. The centerpiece of the book is an extensive essay by Professor Rabbi Daniel Sperber of Bar Ilan University, which is an English adaptation of his Hebrew book, The Path of Halakha: Women Reading the Torah: A Case of Pesika Policy (Reuven Mass, 2007).

The book also includes the seminal essay, (originally published in The Edah Journal in 2001) by Rabbi Mendel Shapiro, an attorney living in Jerusalem, that explores the conditions in which women could have aliyot and read from the Torah in a “mehitza synagogue.” In the words of Dr. Trachtman, this article provided “the practical impetus for the introduction of partnership minyanim around the world and represents a landmark paper in modern Orthodoxy.” Shapiro analyzes the talmudic and rabbinic texts that use the concept of kevod hatzibbur—congregational dignity—to militate against allowing women to receive aliyot. The text that is used as a springboard for the discussion—the baraita1 in Megillah 23a—is a complicated one. In addressing the argument that calling up a woman to the Torah disgraces the community by implying that there are no men who know how to read the Torah, Shapiro asserts that kevod hatzibbur is a context-related principle that can be waived by an individual congregation, and therefore there is a halakhic basis for women engaging in keri’at haTorah in contemporary synagogues. Shapiro also addresses many other issues raised by women reading from the Torah and receiving aliyot, such as the nature of the mitzvah itself, the role of established custom in inhibiting change, and kol isha. Based on his analysis, none of these factors should prevent the adoption of partnership minyanim in communities that choose to do so. 

In his article, Rabbi Sperber explores the concept of kevod hatzibbur in a larger context by framing it against the halakhic principle of kevod hab’riyot—the principle of human dignity—that he believes can trump considerations of congregational dignity. Sperber presents examples to show that kevod hab’riyot, which he applies in this case to the sensibilities of Orthodox Jewish women today, has often been used by halakhic authorities in their decision making.

This book also gives voice to those who disagree with the arguments of Sperber and Shapiro, including articles by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Efrat, founder of Ohr Torah Stone educational networks in Israel, and Professor Eliav Schochetman, professor of Jewish law at Shaarei Mishpat College and professor emeritus of the Law Faculty at the Hebrew University. Both writers stress the power of existing customs in arguing that a congregation cannot relinquish its dignity with regard to women’s aliyot. Riskin further argues that women do not have a hiyyuv with respect to public Torah reading and therefore cannot discharge that obligation for male members of a community.

Professor Tamar Ross provides an extensive and far-ranging introduction to the volume, skillfully situating the halakhic discussion about partnership minyanim in the context of feminist legal thought and the development of the halakhic process.

This book explores an important issue of key interest to those who wish to increase opportunities for women to participate in Jewish ritual life to the fullest extent possible within halakha. It is evident that not all readers will be of the same opinion on the issue of women’s aliyot—indeed not all the writers are. Yet through this book, readers can learn about the halakhic sources used on both sides of the debate and can see an example of respectful disagreement between students of halakha.

What is especially valuable about this book are the important issues it raises regarding the halakhic process itself. In his essay, as well as the book’s appendices and excurses, Sperber argues that halakha has always been dependent on context, both historical and sociological, and has always adjusted to the needs of the community. Sperber expands the scope of his query to explore issues of halakhic methodology and provide sources on issues of halakha particularly relevant to women—menstruation and niddah, women and kaddish, the blessing she’lo asani isha, and, of particular relevance to this JOFA Journal issue, Bat Mitzvah (pp. 180-183). 

What is the importance of changing norms in assessing the weight of halakhic precedent and custom?

The book raises many important questions. How should halakhic authorities today approach modernity in general and changing notions of gender relations in particular? To what extent should or must women’s sensibilities be taken into account in halakhic development, particularly when we are not talking about all women? What is the importance of changing norms in assessing the weight of halakhic precedent and custom? How much can one rely on a minority opinion of the past to support a current position? In a religion that stresses the importance of accessibility of texts and serious study, what changes can be advocated by an individual person or congregation after serious study of the sources, what by a community rabbi, what only by rabbinical consensus, or what only by the acknowledged leaders of the generation, if they exist? What are the implications of incorporating the sensibilities of contemporary women into halakhic decision making for other areas of women’s ritual participation—in the synagogue and outside of it? 

These are significant questions for all of us who are dedicated to living our lives in accordance with halakha. 

The Importance of Creativity

For committed families, a Bat Mitzvah is a time to mark achievement in studies, the development of public ritual roles, and the taking on of responsibility for observance of mitzvot. Yet as Joyce Klein points out, “A Bat Mitzvah is also a celebration—it should be fun! The challenge is to put religious meaning into the celebration.” Coming at a time when most girls are dealing with the insecurities of adolescence, the Bat Mitzvah is also an opportunity for them to shine.

A drama consultant and Jewish educator living in Jerusalem, Klein considers it important for Bat Mitzvah girls to find their own voices and express their knowledge and talents in different ways. She works with girls to bring Torah portions and rabbinic texts and culture to life—often including sounds and tastes— incorporating interactive drama into the celebration. She has written raps for girls to perform based on their divrei Torah or on the texts they studied, sometimes with family members as back-up rappers. One girl’s “rap” was based on Massekhet Megillah, which she had studied with her father. (In addition to being fun and unexpected, rapping has the additional benefit that it is considered by many families not to raise issues of kol isha because rapping is not singing.) For one Bat Mitzvah girl whose text study and d’var Torah had focused on Megillat Ruth, Klein planned a play based on the story of Ruth for the girl to perform along with relatives, her friends, and her parents’ friends. This play was a true multigenerational experience, and performing in it became a way for friends and relatives to do something special for the Bat Mitzvah girl.

Klein makes clear that a Bat Mitzvah celebration is more than just a party. Developing strongly Jewish experiential aspects of achieving gil mitzvot can have long-term impact.

For Further Reading on Bat Mitzvah

There are many readings now on the topic of Bat Mitzvah. We particularly recommend the volume issued by Matan, Traditions and Celebrations for the Bat Mitzvah edited by Ora Wiskind Elper (Urim Publications, 2003). It includes many valuable pieces, among them those by Rabbi Benny Lau, Rabbi Joel Wolowelsky, Erica Brown and Yardena Cope-Yossef. See also: Rabbi Daniel Sperber, “Appendix IX. Bat Mitsvah: Pro and Con Views” in Women and Men in Communal Prayer: Halakhic Perspectives (JOFA, Ktav 2010) pp.180-183. In 2000, JOFA issued a booklet entitled Bat Mitzvah in the series, The Orthodox Jewish Woman and Ritual: Options and Opportunities, which is available at www.jofa.org. The JOFA website contains information about, and links to, many other important sources on Bat Mitzvah.

Elena Kagan: Twelve Year Old Trailblazer

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan was the Lincoln Square Synagogue’s first Bat Mitzvah in May 1973. Then it was called a Bat Torah ceremony. While Kagan wanted to have her Bat Mitzvah on a Shabbat morning and to leyn or chant the haftarah, the Bat Mitzvah crafted by Shlomo Riskin, the congregation’s rabbi, took place on a Friday night and Kagan leyned selections from Megillat Ruth. Cantor Sherwood Goffin, hazan at Lincoln Square then and now, taught the Bat Mitzvah girl, who attended Hebrew school at Lincoln Square for three to four years. Kagan, at her Lincoln Square celebration, also spoke about the figure of Ruth, analyzed the biblical text and explored what being a Bat Mitzvah meant to her. 

1. Adopt a Special Mitzvah As you become a “daughter of mitzvot,” choose a mitzvah that is special to you, learn about it, and take extra care in performing it throughout the year.

2. Learn about your Family History Use this new stage of life to reflect on where you came from. Ask your parents and grandparents about their lives growing up and about your family history, and learn about your roots.

3. Learn about Female Role Models As you become Bat Mitzvah, it is important to find female role models to identify with. Bat Mitzvah girls can study women in Tanakh, Talmud, and Medieval and Modern Jewish history. Connect with female role models in your own community such as scholars, teachers and communal leaders.

4. Study Something Connected to your Name Many girls learn about the significance of their names and focus on learning themes which are connected to their names. An Ilana may study laws related to trees in Tanakh, and a Sarah may study the biblical Sarah, as well as famous Sarahs throughout Jewish history

5. Study Something Connected to the Time of your Bat Mitzvah Connect with the Jewish calendar. If your Bat Mitzvah falls around Hanukkah, study the laws and meaning of Hanukkah. If it falls near a fast day, study the laws pertaining to fast days. If it falls near a holiday when a megillah is read, study that megillah.

6. Write a Prayer Use this special occasion to write a tefillah. What are you thankful for? What are your hopes for the future? You can share this tefillah with others at your celebration, or keep it for yourself.

7. Make a Siyyum A Bat Mitzvah is a time to solidify your commitment to Torah study. Many Bat Mitzvah girls have made a siyyum on a seder of Mishnah, a tractate of Gemara, or a book of Tanakh to mark their entry into Jewish adulthood. At the end of the siyyum, recite the hadran, the text affirming future commitment to study.

8. Write it Up After spending time studying a particular text or issue, write up your thoughts and conclusions, and distribute what you have written to the guests at your Bat Mitzvah. You and they will have it forever.

9. Be Part of a Women’s Tefillah Group or Partnership Minyan Learn to leyn and lead a prayer service and mark your Bat Mitzvah at a women’s tefillah service or at a partnership minyan.

10. Speak up in Synagogue Deliver the d’var Torah or sermon in synagogue on the Shabbat you celebrate your Bat Mitzvah. The rabbi may call you to the pulpit and respond to your speech.

11. Undertake a Community Service Project What better way to prepare for acceptance of the mitzvot than to actively engage in them? In preparing for your Bat Mitzvah, undertake a community service project such as visiting old age homes, feeding the homeless, or working with special-needs children.

12. Donate a percentage of your Bat Mitzvah Money to Tzedakah You can start keeping mitzvot right away by giving ma’aser, 10% of the money you receive as gifts for your Bat Mitzvah, to a tzedakah that you choose. It will make you feel richer!

After Your Bat Mitzvah

Bat Mitzvah marks the adoption of the adult responsibilities of Judaism. It is important to continue the learning and study of Jewish texts and to share your knowledge. A Bat Mitzvah should celebrate the beginning of learning at a higher level, not the culmination. Continue to attend shul services regularly and on time. Girls who have learned to leyn and daven from the amud should look for opportunities to continue to use these skills at partnership minyanim and women’s tefillah groups. Consider learning to leyn Megillat Esther for Purim and Megillat Eikha for Tisha B’Av and seek out places to do this publicly. Use your skills and talents to mentor and teach younger girls who are approaching Bat Mitzvah. Learn to lead and respond to a zimmun after a meal, as three women who eat together do constitute a zimmun. Know that there is a halakhic consensus that a woman can discharge a mitzvah for another person, male or female, for which she has an equal or higher responsibility and that, accordingly, a post Bat Mitzvah girl can therefore make kiddush or hamotzi for others. Ask your school to support causes such as agunah advocacy and domestic abuse programs, and help to initiate and organize these. View your Bat Mitzvah as the beginning of participation, learning, and leadership, and it will continue to illuminate your experience of Judaism and the experience of those around you long after the celebration has ended.