Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site orca.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!orca!ariels
From: ariels@orca.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Question about Bat-Mitzvah
Message-ID: <640@orca.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 26-Feb-84 15:03:21 EST
Article-I.D.: orca.640
Posted: Sun Feb 26 15:03:21 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 28-Feb-84 08:25:00 EST
References: <257@whuxle.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 30

The original difference is due to the fact that girls mature earlier
than boys do.  This is a medical fact.  Look it up in any text that
covers adolecence.

I suspect the reason that in the US girls celebrate at 13, and not
12, is that 

  1) Girls who celebrate Batei Mitzvah are not Orthodox, but
     Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, or whatever, and it is
     possible that the individual congregations (not the rabbis,
     just the congregations) don't know the 12 vs 13 difference.

  2) 12 year olds of either sex are not as likely as 13 year olds to
     take their studying and preparation seriously, so they wait.

  3)  The brothers would get upset if their sisters got a Bat
      Mitzvah when she was younger than he is when he gets his Bar
      Mitzvah, so it's all to keep family peace.

Please remember that a girl is Bat Mitzah at 12, and a boy Bar
Mitzvah at 13 no matter when OR WHETHER they have a celebration at
the synagogue.  Bat/Bar Mitzvah means that the child's parents are
no longer responsible for the child's spiritual life (sins,
observation, etc), but that the child becomes responsible for
her/him self.

Ariel (never had a celebration, but Bat Mitzvah anyway) Shattan
..!tektronix!orca!ariels