Global InformationBaruch Sheptarani information
Baruch Sheptarani (Hebrew: ברוך שפטרני) It is a blessing (Berakhah) used by Jews that the boy's father blesses when his son reaches the age of thirteen (bar mitzvah). The blessing is greeted by Jews immediately after the boy made Aliyah.[1]
The first source for this blessing is in Midrash Rabbah on Parshas Toldot. On the verse "And the boys grew up and there was Esau a man who knew a hunter a man of a field and Jacob a man of innocence sat a tent",[2] On this the Midrash says "Rabbi Phinehas in the name of Rabbi Levy: "A parable of the myrtle and thorn plant that grew on top of each other. Once grown, one has a scent but the other has hooks. Thus every thirteen years Jacob and Esau went to school and returned from school, after 13 years one would go to "Beit Midrash" and one would go to "Idolatry". Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Shimon: A man should take care of his son for 13 years, from now on he should say: Blessed be God who released me from the punishment of this boy"[3]
- ^ Baruch Sheptarani by Ari Elias-Bachrach
- ^ Genesis 25:27
- ^ Baruch Shepetarani: The Bar Mitzvah Boy’s Father’s Blessing in Chabad website