Lech Lecha and Bar/bas Mitzvah

The underlying joy of a Bar or Bas Mitzvah is he or she has graduated from volunteering Judaism to accepting full responsibility. There is a world of difference between these two thrusts, with assuming responsibility to be superior. LECHA LECHA

The First Bar Mitzvah

A Bar/Bas-Mitzvah is one of the most widely observed Jewish practices today. What is really so special about a Bar-Mitzvah? True, it is the day when the Bar/Bas-Mitzvah boy or girl is mature enough to perform all the Mitzvos. But, don’t we actually start doing Mitzvos before our 12th/13th birthday?

The answer to this question can be found in this week’s Torah portion “Lech Lecha” which features the first Bar Mitzvah. Until Abraham was commanded by G-d to circumcise himself, there was no such thing as a Bar Mitzvah. Abraham was the first Jew; and the first Mitzvah he received as a Jew - at the age of 99 — was the Mitzvah of circumcision.

Why did Abraham Wait so Long?

The question has been asked, why did

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Abraham wait until he was 99 years old to circumcise himself? According to the Talmud, Abraham kept the entire Torah - which was prophetically revealed to him - even before it was given. Why then did he wait until he was 99 to perform a mitzvah as important as circumcision?

Volunteering or Following Orders: Which is Superior?

The answer to this question is based on the statement of the Talmud:

One who is commanded to do a mitzvah and does it is greater than one who does a mitzvah not having been commanded to do it.

At first glance this seems hard to understand and appears counterintuitive. Why should a person who voluntarily chooses to do a good deed, be considered inferior to one who does it only after being commanded to do so?

One of the answers to this question is that a Mitzvah is more than just doing a good deed. Besides being a good deed, a Mitzvah is what connects us to G-d. Ordinarily, how can a finite human being ever attain any connection LECHA with his infinite Creator? The only way we can connect to an infinite G-d is by doing what He wants us to do.

The word Mitzvah is thus translated two intertwined ways. Firstly, a mitzvah is a commandment. Secondly, the word Mitzvah means connection. We can only be connected to G-d when we do what He tells us to do, and we observe His commandments.

In order to accomplish this impossible feat of a limited human being becoming attached to an unlimited G-d, we must be commanded by G-d to do a Mitzvah. No other act, no matter how selfless, sincere and good can compare with an act ordained by G-d Himself — a Mitzvah.

To be sure, most acts that most reasonable human beings consider to be good and noble are indeed commandments. However, there are many commandments that we would not consider to be good and noble; yet because they are G-d’s will that we perform these Mitzvos, they connect us to G-d, whether or not we sense their goodness.

We can now understand why Abraham waited until he was commanded by G-d to circumcise himself. Since a Bris can only be LECHA performed once, Abraham wished to have the privilege of doing the Mitzvah in a way that would accomplish his goal – of connecting to G-d.

We can now also understand the significance of a Bar/Bas Mitzvah. Bar/Bas-Mitzvah, is when the person becomes obligated for the first time. A Bar/Bas Mitzvah, thus, is not just someone who performs Mitzvos, but is someone who is able to create a unique bond and relationship with G-d Himself.

The Future Grand Bar/Bas-Mitzvah

Although any boy or girl who has reached the age of 13 or 12, respectively, is a Bar Mitzvah, his/her status as a full-fledged Bar/Bas Mitzvah is not complete.

As long as we are in a state of Galus/exile we cannot fully follow G-d’s will in its entirety because we lack the full degree of spiritual maturity.

In the Messianic Age, we will see the fulfillment of the prophetic prediction “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the seabed is covered with water.”

When we achieve this heightened measure of

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G-dly knowledge then we will truly appreciate the significance of our Mitzvah observance.

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From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Lech Lecha by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.