Thursday, January 7, 2021

Celebrating bas mitzva

Igros Moshe (O.C. 02:097): Bas Mitzva and bar mitzva. This that you question why isn’t there a mitzva to make a meal for a bas mitzva when a girl is 12 and becomes obligated in mitzvos as there is there is for a boy when he is 13? Let me reinforce the question. Even though the girl does not give a Torah speech and even if she does – it has no significance since she is exempt from Torah study, nevertheless on the day of a bar mitzva it is considered a seudas mitzva even if he doesn’t give a Torah speech (Magen Avraham 225.4 and Yam shel Shlomo).So similarly it should also be for a bas mitzva that on the day she becomes 12 and one day that it should be considered a seudas mitzva. Look at the Pri Magadim who asks why isn’t the beracha (Baruch Shepatroni) said when a girl becomes 12 but does not ask why isn’t a meal made for her even though the reason for the meal is because it is greater to be obligated when you do mitzvos which also is relevant for girls. A possible explanation is because the change is not so obvious when a girl becomes an adult when compared to a boy who is now counted as part of a minyan or where three men are required. So with the knowledge of a change which is not so obvious we don’t make a seudas mitzva and celebration.

8 comments:

  1. Do you have the teshuva on whether or not one must wear a kippa for a job interview if it is detrimental? But that one must still wear it despite fear of attack?

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  2. Is that tomorrow's daily teshuva?

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  3. https://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/43/Q1/

    The Taz argues that removing a kippa is chukat hagoy, therefore assur d'oraita. But that is not quite true. The goyim generally don't wear kippot. They used to wear hats. The goyim use toothpaste, dental floss, drive cars, fly planes, use phones , computers etc. It is reckless to claim it is assur to engage in any of these matters.
    In fact the taz also says that what the Torah explicitly permits, the rabbanim cannot forbid.
    The navi ELISHA was mocked by children for his bald head. This would only be noticeable if he did not cover his head.
    The question is not whether a kippa is halacha lmoshe misinai.
    Walking bareheaded is not a custom per se. Removing a hat for an honorable person is a custom. Not wearing the hat in the first place is not a custom.

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  4. Perhaps we shouldn't be asking: why don't girls have big bas mitzvos? Instead, let's ask: maybe bar mitzvahs have gotten out of hand?

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  5. Is there an argument from here that there is a mitzva to make a seuda when shuls open again - like the source if I recall correctly that Rav Moshe brought of the blind Rabbi (Rav Yosef?) who made a seuda when he learnt he had another mitsva he could do (hagoda?)

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  6. http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2021/01/kipa-and-business.html

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