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“Life and good” or “death and evil” is the choice given to those standing before God, as well as to “those who are not here with us today”. We present implications of these passages and more in this week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim (standing).
Torah Portion Nitzavim: Deuteronomy 29:9 – 30:20
Torah Portion Vayelech: Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Questions and Topics in this Discussion
- Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah
- Who are “Those who are not with us here today”?
- Scribal Practices That Can Change How We Understand The Text
- Do We Have Free Will?
This Week’s Haftarot
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2 comments
Sarah Yocheved
September 8, 2018 at 3:28 pmRegarding your comment that Bat Mitzvah being a recently recent thing, what is the origin of the Bar Mitzvah? Is this Biblical or an arbitrary custom instituted by the Rabbis? Why the age of 13. And not 18, or 20? Just wondering.
Yoel Halevi
September 18, 2018 at 3:34 pmThe Bar Mitzvah is not biblical, and early sources talk about age 9 as being when you start a child. The 13 is mentioned in Mishnah Yoma in regards to when a child is required to fast. The same source talks about 12 for girls, which is the age of the Bat Mitzvah.