- Family and Society
- Bar and Bat Mitzva
Bracha for Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah
Question
Why does not the father of a girl who has reached the age of her Bat Mitzva make a bracha as he would have done if it was a boy?
Answer
The Rema (OC 225; 2) states: “there is an opinion to say blessing of Baruch Shepetarani when one’s son becomes Bar Mitzvah and better to be said without Hashem’s name”
This Brachah does not appear not in the Talmud nor the Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch. The earliest it appears in literature is by the R Yehuda ben Baruch, a contemporary of Rashi.
As for saying this blessing for a girl; from the words of Rema it appears this applies to boys only, the Pri Megadim (ibid 5) questions the custom to say only for boys as there should be no difference between boys and girls, he eventually finds a difference, it has to do with the fact that the level of educational responsibility (Chinuch) is on a lower level than boys.
Though his arguments can be challenged, the common Ashkenazi custom is to say for boys only.
The Sephardi Halachic authorities hold by the opinion that since the obligation and responsibility is toward the girls as well, the Brachah can be recited for girls especially since it is recites without a Brachah (Yabia Omer 6; 29).
For more you should see a perfect summary of sources on this Brachah here http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/kitveyet/sinay/baruh-2.htm

Scheduling Events
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | 7 Tishrei 5766

Bar Mitzvah on Parashat Mishpatim
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Shevat 23, 5780

Selecting the Parasha of Bar Mitzvah
Rabbi Elchanan Lewis | 6 Cheshvan 5765

Kiddush at a Bar Mitzvah
Various Rabbis | 23 Sivan 5765

Rabbi Elchanan Lewis
Former Rabbi of Jewish congregation in Perth, Australia

Young Guests
13 Tammuz 5764

Prayer and Jerusalem
11 Tammuz 5764

Bnei Noah prayer
14 Tammuz 5764

Shaving During the Three Weeks
17 Tammuz 5764

Havdalah on Chol Hamoed
Various Rabbis | 18 Nisan 5767

Mezzuzah for Non Jew
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 18, 5773

Exercise on Shabbat
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 9 Nisan 5763

Havdalah from Shabbat to Yom Tov
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 10 Cheshvan 5763
Blessings and Bnei Noach
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Tishrei 4, 5784
