Mitzvah Mitzvah In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; meaning "commandment", , , Biblical: '; plural ' , Biblical: '; from ' "command") refers to precepts and commandments commanded by God, with the additional connotation of one's religious duty. It is used in rabbinical Judaism to refer to the 613 commandments given in the Torah at biblical Mount Sinai and the seven rabbinic commandments instituted later for a total of 620. The 613 commandments are divided into two categories: 365 negative commandments and 248 positive commandments. According to the Talmud, all moral laws are, or are derived from, divine commandments.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah Bar and Bat Mitzvah Bar Mitzvah () is a Jewish coming of age ritual for boys. Bat Mitzvah (; Ashkenazi pronunciation: "Bas Mitzvah") is a Jewish coming of age ritual for girls. The plural is "B'nai Mitzvah" for boys, and "B'not Mitzvah" (Ashkenazi pronunciation: "B'nos Mitzvah") for girls. According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys become 13 years old, they become accountable for their actions and become a bar mitzvah. A girl becomes a bat mitzvah at the age of 12 according to Orthodox and Conservative Jews, and at the age of 13 according to Reform Jews. Prior to reaching