Shabbat Shalom. I would like to welcome everyone here today and thank you all for joining in celebrating my Bat Mitzvah. This Shabbat there is a double parshah–Behar and Bi-choo-koe-tie. This morning I read twelve sentences from the portion of Behar in the book of Leviticus. The portion of Behar discusses the laws of Shmitah and Yovel. These laws apply to Jewish people who own land in Israel. In Israel, the land is farmed in seven year cycles. Shmitah is the seventh year of the cycle. In the Shmitah year, the Jewish people do not farm the land. They let it go fallow and poor people can take food from this land. The Yovel year is the fiftieth year and is called the jubilee year. In this year, land that was sold any time during the preceding fifty years is returned to its original owners.

The number seven is an important number in Judaism. As I just mentioned, the Shmitah year is the seventh year and the Yovel year follows seven cycles of seven years. The obvious way we see Judaism stress the number seven is though resting on the seventh day, Shabbat, because after six days of creation, G-d rested.

In order to rest on the seventh day, the seventh year and during the jubilee years, one has to have a lot of faith in G-d. A person must believe that G-d will help provide food for them when they are not actively working and farming to provide food for him or herself. I learned from this portion that although I need to work hard and be responsible in everything I do, that I’m not in control of everything that happens. I must believe that after I do what I could do, G-d will make the rest work out.

The portion of Bi-choo-koe-tie is about the blessings the Jewish people will receive if they follow the Torah and the curses they will receive if they reject the Torah. There are eight sentences about the blessings that are written in a general way. There are 29 sentences about the curses that are written in specific detail. We are promised health, peace, food, water and G-d’s protection if we follow the Torah. Then there are five series of punishments and curses written for those who are repulsed by the Torah and purposely turn away from it. G-d hopes that a person will realize his or her mistake and become a better person after the first series. However, if he or she doesn’t, then there are four more series of curses a person will have to face. G-d wants us to be the best people we can be and encourages us by telling us about these blessings. However, if that doesn’t work, there are detailed consequences that serve as a frightening warning for us.

Today when we do a good thing, we don’t automatically see a reward immediately. In addition, when we do something wrong, we don’t necessarily see a punishment right away. The portion teaches us that there is an ultimate reward and punishment, even if we don’t experience it right away. As a bat mitzvah, I appreciate that I need to do what I know is right even if it’s not convenient. The reward of knowing I did the right thing might be the only immediate reward.

My HavTorah is from the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah warns the Jewish people that G-d will bring punishment if the Jewish people don’t stop sinning. Specifically, G-d warns about the sin of idolatry. However, G-d will bring much blessing if the Jewish people follow the rules of the Torah. The connection between the Torah portion and the HavTorah is that both teach that when a Jewish person follows G-d’s rules, then G-d will take care of that person. Following the laws of Shmitah and Yovel tests a person’s faith. G-d assures the Jewish people that their commitment will be rewarded. 

I’m excited to become a Bat Mitzvah because now I have the responsibility of keeping this Jewish commitment. This is a big step for me. My parents are giving me more freedom and rely on me to make grown-up decisions. This year I have finished Hebrew school and I look forward to teaching others the important lessons I have learned there. One of the most important lessons I learned was that if you try hard enough you can succeed. When I was about eight years old, learning Hebrew letters and prayers was hard for me. I was very frustrated. However, I worked diligently and I was able to learn the Hebrew alphabet and read prayers–as you have already seen.

A Bat Mitzvah is not an end to Jewish learning but rather a beginning. I plan on going to the Hebrew high school at Hebrew Tabernacle and continue attending services. Judaism is very important to me. I will always use Jewish values and morals to guide me in all decisions I will have to make. 

Now I would like to recognize a few important people. I want to thank my Uncle Joe, Aunt Pam and cousin Lizzie who traveled here from Colorado. I also want to thank my Aunt Ellen and Uncle Les who traveled here from Massachusetts and my father’s cousins, the Hares who came from Baltimore. It is also very special for me that my Grandma Blanche is here to celebrate with us. In addition, I want to mention my father’s parents Grandma Freda and Grandpa Wesley, my mother’s father, Grandpa Harold, and my father’s cousin, Mike Cohen, all of whom are here with us in spirit.

I am very thankful to Rabbi Weiner, Cantor Fletcher, and my tutor Malka Landman for helping me to prepare for this special day. I also want to mention my neighbor, my family friend and the principal of the Hebrew school that I have attended for many years, Connie Heymann. Connie has always encouraged me to do my best and always believed that I would succeed in anything I put my mind to. I also want to thank Connie’s sister, Cantor Elizabeth Goldmann, for stepping in for Cantor Fletcher. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank my parents who have always been there for me. I feel that I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have such loving, caring and helpful parents and I love them a lot. Thank you. Shabbat Shalom.