During the reading of the Torah, Jace, as Bar Mitzvah, will be called up for an “Aliyah” meaning “going up”.  This will be Jace’s inaugural call up as a qualifying adult member of the community.

Jace will be called up using his Hebrew Name:

Yehoshua Ben Shmuel

Jace son of Shmuel (Shane’s Hebrew name).

Jace will participate in the service and be called up to read the Parshah (portion) “Vayetze”.  Jace will then recite the traditional blessings before and after reading the Maftir (concluding) portion of the Torah.

There is no talking throughout the Torah and Haftorah readings, out of respect for those reading and of course, for the Bar Mitzvah boy.

“Vayetze” means “And he left,” referring to Jacob leaving his home in Beersheba.

Jacob travels toward a place called Charan. Along the way, he stops for the night and has a powerful dream: he sees a ladder reaching from earth up to heaven, with angels going up and down. In the dream, God promises Jacob that the land he is lying on will one day belong to his descendants. When Jacob wakes up, he sets up the stone he slept on as a special marker and promises that this place will be a house of God.

When Jacob arrives in Charan, he stays with his uncle Laban and works for him by tending his sheep. Jacob agrees to work seven years so he can marry Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, whom he loves. But on the wedding night, Laban tricks him and gives him the older daughter, Leah, instead. Jacob only discovers this the next morning. He then marries Rachel as well, but must work another seven years for Laban.

Leah has six sons—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun—and one daughter, Dinah. Rachel, unable to have children at first, gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob to have children on her behalf. Bilhah has two sons, Dan and Naphtali. Leah later gives her maid Zilpah to Jacob, and Zilpah has Gad and Asher. Eventually, Rachel herself has a son, Joseph.

After 14 years, Jacob wants to return home, but Laban convinces him to stay longer by offering him sheep as payment. Even though Laban keeps trying to cheat him, Jacob becomes very successful. After six more years, Jacob secretly leaves with his family and possessions, afraid that Laban might try to stop him. Laban chases after him, but God warns Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob.

The two make a peace agreement on a mountain called Gal-Ed, marked by a pile of stones. Jacob then continues on his journey back to the Holy Land, where he is greeted by angels.

הושע פרק י״א

ז וְעַמִּ֥י תְלוּאִ֖ים לִמְשֽׁוּבָתִ֑י וְאֶל־עַל֙ יִקְרָאֻ֔הוּ יַ֖חַד לֹ֥א יְרוֹמֵֽם

ח אֵ֞יךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֚יךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ כְאַדְמָ֔ה אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם נֶהְפַּ֚ךְ עָלַי֙ לִבִּ֔י יַ֖חַד נִכְמְר֥וּ נִֽחוּמָֽי:

ט לֹ֤א אֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ חֲר֣וֹן אַפִּ֔י לֹ֥א אָשׁ֖וּב לְשַׁחֵ֣ת אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י אֵ֤ל אָֽנֹכִי֙ וְלֹֽא־אִ֔ישׁ בְּקִרְבְּךָ֣ קָד֔וֹשׁ וְלֹ֥א אָב֖וֹא בְּעִֽיר:

י אַֽחֲרֵ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה יֵלְכ֖וּ כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה יִשְׁאָ֑ג כִּי־ה֣וּא יִשְׁאַ֔ג וְיֶֽחֶרְד֥וּ בָנִ֖ים מִיָּֽם:

י”א יֶֽחֶרְד֚וּ כְצִפּוֹר֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וּכְיוֹנָ֖ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְהֽוֹשַׁבְתִּ֥ים עַל־בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:

הושע פרק י״ב

א סְבָבֻ֚נִי בְכַ֙חַשׁ֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וּבְמִרְמָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וִֽיהוּדָ֗ה עֹ֥ד רָד֙ עִם־אֵ֔ל וְעִם־קְדוֹשִׁ֖ים נֶֽאֱמָֽן:

ב אֶפְרַ֜יִם רֹעֶ֥ה ר֙וּחַ֙ וְרֹדֵ֣ף קָדִ֔ים כָּל־הַיּ֕וֹם כָּזָ֥ב וָשֹׁ֖ד יַרְבֶּ֑ה וּבְרִית֙ עִם־אַשּׁ֣וּר יִכְרֹ֔תוּ וְשֶׁ֖מֶן לְמִצְרַ֥יִם יוּבָֽל:

ג וְרִ֥יב לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה עִם־יְהוּדָ֑ה וְלִפְקֹ֚ד עַל־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ כִּדְרָכָ֔יו כְּמַֽעֲלָלָ֖יו יָשִׁ֥יב לֽוֹ:

ד בַּבֶּ֖טֶן עָקַ֣ב אֶת־אָחִ֑יו וּבְאוֹנ֖וֹ שָׂרָ֥ה אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים:

ה וַיָּ֚שַׂר אֶל־מַלְאָךְ֙ וַיֻּכָ֔ל בָּכָ֖ה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן־ל֑וֹ בֵּֽית־אֵל֙ יִמְצָאֶ֔נּוּ וְשָׁ֖ם יְדַבֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ:

ו וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַצְּבָא֑וֹת יְהֹוָ֖ה זִכְרֽוֹ:

ז וְאַתָּ֖ה בֵּֽאלֹהֶ֣יךָ תָשׁ֑וּב חֶ֚סֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט֙ שְׁמֹ֔ר וְקַוֵּ֥ה אֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ תָּמִֽיד:

ח כְּנַ֗עַן בְּיָד֛וֹ מֹֽאזְנֵ֥י מִרְמָ֖ה לַֽעֲשֹׁ֥ק אָהֵֽב:

ט וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶפְרַ֔יִם אַ֣ךְ עָשַׁ֔רְתִּי מָצָ֥אתִי א֖וֹן לִ֑י כָּל־יְגִיעַ֕י לֹ֥א יִמְצְאוּ־לִ֖י עָו‍ֹ֥ן אֲשֶׁר־חֵֽטְא:

י וְאָֽנֹכִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עֹ֛ד אוֹשִֽׁיבְךָ֥ בָֽאֳהָלִ֖ים כִּימֵ֥י מוֹעֵֽד:

י״א וְדִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י חָז֣וֹן הִרְבֵּ֑יתִי וּבְיַ֥ד הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֲדַמֶּֽה:

י״ב אִם־גִּלְעָ֥ד אָ֙וֶן֙ אַךְ־שָׁ֣וְא הָי֔וּ בַּגִּלְגָּ֖ל שְׁוָרִ֣ים זִבֵּ֑חוּ גַּ֚ם מִזְבְּחוֹתָם֙ כְּגַלִּ֔ים עַ֖ל תַּלְמֵ֥י שָׂדָֽי:

י״ג וַיִּבְרַ֥ח יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שְׂדֵ֣ה אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֚ד יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבְאִשָּׁ֖ה שָׁמָֽר:

י״ד וּבְנָבִ֕יא הֶֽעֱלָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וּבְנָבִ֖יא נִשְׁמָֽר:

Traditionally, the parents of a Bar Mitzvah offer thanks to G-d that they are no longer responsible or punishable for theor child’s sins.  Today following Jace’s Aliyah and reading of the Maftir, Shane will recite a prayer in Hebrew on behalf of himself and Sheraz.

The blessing is called “Baruch Shepetarani” and it thanks G-d for reaching this auspicious moment.

בָּרוּךְ שֶׁפְּטָרַנִי מֵעֹנְשׁוֹ שֶׁל זֶה

At the end of the reading of the Torah for the week , the Torah is scroll is raised for all to see (Hagbah) and dressed (Gelilah).

When the Torah is lifted, all those present sing:

וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל־פִּי ה’ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה

It is at this point in the service when the Bar Mitzvah boy has completed the most important parts of his obligations today, having completed reading his Maftir and Haftorah (he still has to do his speech though ).

Therefore it is entirely appropriate  at this point to congratulate Jace.  Most people will out “MAZEL TOV” (congratulations / good fortune) and sing Siman Tov U Mazel Tov ( a song of good luck) and throw lollies/sweets at the Bar Mitzvah boy..

The Rabbi will then give his Drosh (Sermon) and talk about  the Parshah of the week, and anything else on the agenda.

Sheraz and Shane will then be called up to front of the Shule, as Jace’s parents, to bless Jace.  They will say the traditional blessing  that Jewish parents say to their Children and both make a short speech.

יְשִׂימְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה, יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ, יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ, יִשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.

Sheraz and Shane would like to invite all family, friends and guests to join them in the hall after the Bar Mitzvah service for a celebratory kiddish (light luncheon).