Many cultures and faiths have celebrated a

Many cultures and faiths have celebrated a "coming of age" or rite of passage, sometimes by test, by ceremony, or simply at a set age. Bar Mitzvah is a practice that stems from Biblical concepts and has been observed since before Common Era, or, the time of Yahshua's earthly, human ministry. "Bar Mitzvah" literally means "son of the commandment." Technically, the term refers to the child who is coming of age, and it is strictly correct to refer to someone as "becoming a bar (or bat) mitzvah." However, the term is more commonly used to refer to the coming of age ceremony itself, and you are more likely to hear that someone is "having a bar mitzvah." Hebraic practice typically deems a boy a "bar mitzvah" when he turns 13 and a girl becomes "bat mitzvah" when she turns 12.

A child's early spiritual growth and development are primarily the task and responsibility of the parents (Prov 22:6). Dependence moves toward independence in stages, certainly, but the early teen years begin to show signs of adult maturation; this period of change is then a prime time to acknowledge a shift of personal spiritual responsibility. In the community of faith, the individual is now primarily responsible for his own deeds, spiritually, ethically, and morally. The Bar Mitzvah ceremony then marks the assumption of the youth to observe and personally uphold the Word of Life, the Scriptures, with the Body of Believers supporting that one to do so by faith. Thus, we come to this moment....

We celebrate the wonder of our Creator on this day, a weekly day of rest, the Salvation that He brings: creation and redemption, hand in hand. We also rejoice with family and friends, brothers and sisters, in this occasion of Jonathan Olson's bar mitzvah service. So, let us begin.

All: Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.

For YHWH is good; His kindness is everlasting, and His truth, to all generations.

(Those with shofars may stand) At the day of your gladness and at your appointed feasts...you shall blow the trumpets (Num 10:10) The Master Himself shall descend from heaven...with the trumpet of the Eternal One (I Thes. 4:16) And He shall send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect...(Matt 24:31) Blessed are they that know the sound of the shofar, have kept themselves ready and are gathered at His appointed times.

The lighting of the seven-branch candelabra reminds us of the seven spirits before the throne of the Almighty (Rev 4:5) that give testimony of the actions of man. It also reminds us of the menorah in the Tabernacle, patterned after the heavenly. This is our Messiah, the Light of the World, giving life to mankind.

All: Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the light of Your Presence. Blessed are You who shines the Way of Salvation and lights our path in righteousness.

Equally, it is His Holy Spirit that opens up our hearts to love His Word and draw closer to the light of His Glory.

Abba YHWH, may this gathering be led by Your Hur tma Spirit of Truth, to Your glory and the fulfilling of Your Kingdom. May it be a time of memory and strengthening for Jonathan, in particular. In the precious name of our King and Savior Yahshua the Messiah. Amen.

Benjamin: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of Yahweh your Elohim. In it you shall not do any work.

All: For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day, that is why Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Benjamin: Speak also unto the children of Israel saying: Above all, my Sabbaths you shall keep; for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.

Zechariah: (sings blessing in Hebrew) Ba-rooch ata Yahweh, elo-hay-noo mehlech ha-olam, asher natan lah-noo et derech ha-y'shooyah b'mashee-ach, Yahshua. Amein. Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the universe, who has provided the way of salvation in Messiah Yahshua.

All: He healed the sick and raised the dead. The multi tudes sought His touch.

He taught as no man taught. With authority, He brought forth treasures of the Torah.

All: How the children sought Him. How the despised and outcast found love and release from their sin!

Despised and rejected, acquainted with grief, He bore the sins of all generations.

All: All we like sheep have gone astray, turned every one to his own way. (Is 53: 3-6)

Our iniquities were laid upon the King, the sins of the world, His burden to bear.

All: He rose from the dead and opened the way to life everlasting. Praise His name.

We are in Him; the Ruach Yahweh empowers us; new life is ours with joy and peace.

All: Blessed are You, Yahweh most high, who has given us Messiah Yahshua our King.

In Matthew 22, Yahshua is asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" Let us sing and say it together and the basis of our faith.

All: (sung) Sh'ma , Israel ! Yahweh elo-haynu, Yahweh echad (said) Hear, o Israel: Yahweh our Almighty; Yahweh is One. And you shall love Yahweh with all your heart, soul and might. And your neighbor as yourself.

Today, as we acknowledge and celebrate Jonathan's Bar Mitzvah, the readings chosen from the Katuveem (OT writings) and the Apostolic Writings (NT) were selected in light of the emphasis that Scripture places upon itself and upon the time recorded of Yahshua's first engagement into His Father's work.

[The washing of hands before a "called forward" reading is based upon Ps 24:3-6, which is primarily a focus on the heart and the actions motivated from the heart, but applies in such connection to the clean (activity) of the hands]

Jonathan sings blessing of the Torah / Scripture: Ba-rooch ata Yahweh, eh-lo-hay-noo meh-lech ha-oh-lam, asher ba-char ba-noo mee-kol ha-ah-meem, v'natan lah-noo et torah-toe. Ba-rooch ata Yahweh, no-tane ha-torah. Blessed are You, Yahweh our Mighty One, King of the universe, who has chosen us from all peoples and has given us Word of Life. Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the Scriptures.

(Haf-tarah reading is taken from multiple verses of Psalm 119) Blessed are You, Yahweh, Rock of eternity, faithful in all generations, who speaks and makes it come to pass, all of whose words are true and righteous. For not one word of Yours is turned back unfulfilled. Bless and thank You for the torah given through the Psalmists and the Prophets.

(Books of the Renewed Covenant reading taken from Luke 2:39-52) Blessed are You, Yahweh, who has given us the commandments of the Renewed Covenant. Thank You for the torah given through Your Son Yahshua, by the hands of the Apostolic writers.

As Aaron brought the censor throughout the camp and stopped the plague, as the priests carried the ark to Jerusalem while David danced, Jonathan parades the Torah once around this gathering. These are all pictures of our Savior walking amongst His people, the Living Word revealing the Father's glory and His desire that we should make our dwelling with Him.

(Jonathan will now read the first portion of this week's Torah reading: Gen.28:10-32:3, in Hebrew, then English)

Jonathan: Blessed are You Yahweh our Almighty, King of all creation, who has given us a Torah of truth, and has planted the Tree of eternal life in our midst. Blessed are You, Yahweh, Giver of the Torah.

And this is the Torah that Moshe placed before the children of Israel, at the command of Yahweh, through the Moshe's hand.

If you agree with the following promises and are committed to fulfill them, you may respond with "I will".

Will you, as family, friends and fellow believers, endeavor to promote a morally upstanding role model before Jonathan, knowing that he sees and is influenced by the example you set?

Will you seek to assist Jonathan in making sound, life-governing decisions based upon Scripture, both in executing righteousness and shunning evil.

Will you pray for Jonathan, interceding on his behalf, and that he stand firm in his faith.

At this time, I would like to ask Jonathan's grandfathers and an elder from the congregation to come forward and lay their hands upon him as we pray a blessing over him.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we agree with Scripture that says "Children are a gift of Yahweh; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Grandchildren are the crown of the old and the glory of sons is their fathers." Continue the work that You have begun in Jonathan to its completion in the Day of our Messiah Yahshua. Fill him with all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Stir up the gift that is within him. Embolden his spirit by Your Spirit to usher in Your Kingdom. Bless his humble heart with compassion and long-suffering. Give him joy in the journey and may he shine on the path of righteousness, in the shadow of Your wings. Remind him that we love him and never let him forget Your love for him through the finished work of King Messiah Yahshua, in whose name we ask. Amein.

There'll be shouts of joy and all the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands

After the refreshments, everyone is invited to stay for the congregation's regular weekly Scripture reading and discussion. This will be followed by Hebraic dance.

If you have questions as to the background or purpose of any of what you experienced today, please do not hesitate to ask.