Editing Bar and bat mitzvah (section)

== Aliyah to the Torah ==
[[File:NY Herald Bar Mitzvah.jpg|alt=An 1839 description of an upcoming New York bar mitzvah reported in the New York Herald|left|thumb|An 1839 description of an upcoming Manhattan bar mitzvah reported in the [[New York Herald]]]]

[[File: Bar Mitzvah Western Wall.jpg|thumb|Bar mitzvah at the [[Western Wall]] in [[Jerusalem]]]]
The widespread practice is that shortly after a boy turns 13, they are called up for an ''[[Aliyah (Torah)|aliyah]],''<ref>Calling someone up to say the Torah blessings during a service is called an [[Baal kore|Aliyah]], from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: עֲלִיָּה, from the verb ''la'alot'', לעלות, meaning, "to rise, to ascend; to go up"</ref> the ceremony of reading a portion of the Torah section of the day.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=How the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Child Participates in the Service |url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/how-the-barbat-mitzvah-child-participates-in-the-service/ |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=My Jewish Learning |language=en-US}}</ref>

On the Sabbath, there are seven main sections, plus an eighth, known as ''maftir,'' which is also connected to the reading of that day's ''[[Haftarah|haftorah]]'' section.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Talmud Bavli |volume=Megila |pages=21a}}</ref> It is most common to give the child the ''maftir'' reading.<ref name=":1"/>

In most synagogues, a designated officiant, the ''[[Baal korei|ba'al korei]],'' reads all of the Torah portions, and the people receiving each ''aliyah'' only say the blessings before and after their portion is read.<ref name="Jewish Encyclopedia">{{Jewish Encyclopedia |no-prescript=1 |article=Bar Miẓwah|url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2473-bar-mizwah|year=1906|access-date=February 4, 2018|author=Marcus Jastrow|author-link=Marcus Jastrow|author2=Kaufmann Kohler|author-link2=Kaufmann Kohler}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 4: The Baal Korei – Shulchanaruchharav.com |url=https://shulchanaruchharav.com/halacha/chapter-4-the-baal-korei/ |access-date=2022-05-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> A bar mitzvah boy may learn to act as the ''ba'al korei'', either for the entire service, for just his ''aliyah,'' or any range in-between.<ref name=":1"/> He may also be ba'al korei for the ''haftorah'' portion if he receives the ''maftir,'' or may only be ba'al korei for the haftorah, without reading from the Torah at all.<ref name=":1"/> Any of these undertakings involves a steep learning curve and much practice, possibly taking a year of study, and is an impressive accomplishment.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1839-06-11 |title=Great Doings in the Jewish Synagogue |pages=2 |work=New York Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101789029/great-doings-in-the-jewish-synagogue/ |access-date=2022-05-13}}</ref>

Girls may have an aliyah in Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative Jewish synagogues. In Orthodox synagogues, aliyot were and typically still are restricted to boys, with a girl potentially giving a [[d'var Torah]] at the end of the service. Some Modern Orthodox girls give aliyot at women's services, with fewer than ten men (so as not to constitute a [[minyan]]).

In Orthodox circles, the occasion is sometimes celebrated during a weekday service that includes reading from the Torah, such as a Monday or Thursday morning service.

Some communities or families may delay the celebration for reasons such as availability of a Shabbat during which no other celebration has been scheduled, or to allow family members to travel to the event. However, this does not delay the onset of rights and responsibilities of being a Jewish adult which comes about strictly by virtue of age.