Q: I would like to know when the Bar Mitzvah came into place and if this was something that came from the Talmud.

A: The term "Bar Mitzvah" literally means "son of a commendment" in Hebrew. It refers to a young man who has reached the age whereby, according to Jewish law, he is now obligated to observe all of the statutes and rules of Jewish law.

In ancient times, this was probably not celebrated to any great extent just as we don't have special parties for teenagers when they turn 18 signifying their new status as eligible to vote in this country. The simplest and most public way that any young man could demonstrate to the community that he was now subject to all of the obligations of Jewish law was to be called up to recite the blessings over the reading of a Torah portion, since only adult Jews can receive this honor.

This concept of Bar Mitzvah is not discussed in the Bible. It is a concept that the Rabbis of the Talmud created perhaps over 2,000 years ago. Over time, the occasion of a Bar Mitzvah has become a time to celebrate. Some people in the U.S. now feel that the party has overshadowed the ritual significance of the Bar Mitzvah and that the spiritual aspect of this event has been lost.