{"id":5485,"date":"2018-06-05T19:50:38","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T16:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/2018\/06\/05\/poetic-bnai-mitzvah-ceremony-reading"},"modified":"2018-09-16T09:29:50","modified_gmt":"2018-09-16T06:29:50","slug":"poetic-bnai-mitzvah-ceremony-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/2018\/06\/05\/poetic-bnai-mitzvah-ceremony-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Poetic B’nai Mitzvah Ceremony Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"

This poetic reading<\/a> takes the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah boy\/girl on a journey from the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai until today – the milestone where s\/he becomes a Jewish adult, fully embracing the privileges and responsibilities handed down in the Torah. Partially recited by the ceremony leader, parent(s) and the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah boy\/girl, the reading combines a description of the greatness of the Torah with a parents’ blessing to their children, and the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah celebrant’s\u00a0active acceptance of the Torah. Written by educator and author\u00a0Rabbi Rami Shapiro<\/a>, who led the Reconstructionist Temple Beth Or Congregation in Miami for 20 years, this piece\u00a0<\/em>was\u00a0<\/span>shared on\u00a0Ritualwell<\/a>, a project of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that provides a platform for creating new Jewish practices and observances.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Readings for B’nai Mitzvah<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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Tradition relates
\nthat when Israel gathered at Mount Sinai
\nto receive the Torah,
\nTruth was revealed to us
\namidst much lightning and great claps of thunder.
\nGod, so the sages taught,
\nseemed to speak with the voice of a mighty Shofar.<\/p>\n

Our sages said: Whatever a faithful student
\nwill perceive and transmit; this is Torah.
\nHowever we find ourselves addressed
\nby the Shofar blast of Truth; this is Torah.
\nWhenever we stand humbled by Eternity
\nour hearts filled with love, our arms outstretched
\nto lift up the fallen, free the captive, embrace the lost\u2014
\nthis,\u00a0too, is Torah.<\/p>\n

Sinai is ever present.
\nWherever we gather to seek Wisdom;
\nHowever we struggle to renew the covenant,
\nto discover the Way;
\nWhenever we listen and hear,
\nreceive and transmit; we stand at Sinai.<\/p>\n

Torah is a guide, a voice,
\na whisper of Wisdom echoing within and without.
\nHer mitzvot commit us to justice.
\nHer teachings move us to compassion.
\nHer stories bring us to attention
\nthat we might be present to life’s everyday wonders.
\nMay the words of Torah be pleasant in our mouths.
\nMay we and our children and our children’s children
\ncome to study Torah as a gateway to Truth and Love.
\nMay we hearken to the voice of Sinai
\naddressing us now and here.
\nMay we be moved to exclaim the mystery of Life
\nrevealed in the rising sun, the rustling tree,
\nthe child’s cry and the Shofar’s blast.
\nBlessed are those who bring Torah to our people Israel.<\/p>\n

(Parent takes the Torah from the Ark and says to the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah:)<\/em>
\nSinai calls to you as it called to Moses:
\nestablish mitzvot for your life.
\nTorah calls to you as it called to our people:
\nset yourself firmly on the Way of Justice and Compassion.<\/p>\n

At this time of Bar\/Bat Mitzvah you prepare
\nto ascend the heights of Sinai within.
\nThe path is yours alone, and alone you must travel upon it.
\nYet you take with you the love and hope of past years.
\nThey will be your companions forever,
\nas we\/I will stand ever beside you.<\/p>\n

May Life bless you and keep you.<\/p>\n

May its Face be your face
\nand its Grace your grace.<\/p>\n

May it shine within you
\nand bring you peace.<\/p>\n

(If appropriate Torah is passed to the other parent who says:)<\/em>
\nTorah is the voice of Sinai speaking to
\nthe human struggle for peace.
\nTorah is the wisdom of people wrestling
\nwith mitzvot, the Way of Harmony, Justice and Compassion.<\/p>\n

As I now hold the Torah so I once held you.
\nYet holding on is not the way of life,
\nand I must now begin to let you go
\nthat you may find your own way.<\/p>\n

But I must give you more than the fact of freedom,
\nI must give you the tools that make freedom meaningful.
\nMitzvot are those tools\u2014
\nthe\u00a0skills you will need to embrace life openly and fully.<\/p>\n

So I now hand you the Torah as a symbol
\nof the power of mitzvah you will henceforth
\nwith ever greater zeal seek for yourself.<\/p>\n

(Bar\/Bat Mitzvah responds:)<\/em>
\nAs I have received Torah from your hands,
\nso do I accept the challenge of Sinai
\nthat comes to me this day.<\/p>\n

The challenge is one of both freedom and responsibility,
\ncalling me to affirm not only the dignity of self
\nbut the dignity of others as well.<\/p>\n

It is my heritage this day
\nto enter into a covenant with Life,
\nseeking the power of mitzvot I need
\nto live in harmony with my people and my world.<\/p>\n

May this covenant bring peace and healing
\nto all who know me,
\nand may my struggles be for the good.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This poetic reading takes the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah boy\/girl on a journey from the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai until today – the milestone where s\/he becomes a Jewish adult, fully embracing the privileges and responsibilities handed down in the Torah. Partially recited by the ceremony leader, parent(s) and the Bar\/Bat Mitzvah boy\/girl, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[219],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5485\/"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post\/"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4\/"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments\/?post=5485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5485\/revisions\/"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5486\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/?parent=5485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/?post=5485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kol-ami.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags\/?post=5485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}