Mark's Four Dimensional Bar Mitzvah Plan
This is a Bar Mitzvah promoting empowerment. It represents my ability to take more responsibility for my own life. I have set the pace, plan, and style for this event in many ways:
l. To have my aliyot at the synagogue I grew up in, a tiny place in rural New Jersey, even though I now live in an affluent community with many larger synagogues, I miss and want to be at the place and with the people I know.
2. To have it inclusive of primarily family members and my close friends and others who I feel to be in genuinely meaningful relationship with me.
3. To integrate my worlds of interest and meaning: Internet, Judaism, Family and Tradition
4. Making and designing my bar mitzvah web site.
6. Deciding how much of my Torah portion to study at each sitting, to discover it's meaning and enjoy chanting it with trope. I initiate my own learning appointments with the rabbi(s).
7. This has been planned as a Four Worlds Bar Mitzvah......which is a Kabbalistic idea, that means I intend it to affect the spirit of everyone.
In the world of Assiyah, the realm of doing:
This bar mitzvah will be in the later part of the day, with a minhah/maariv service led and developed by myself and my mother, followed by a Havdallah ceremony.
It will have a simple dessert reception, with computers set up that allow guests to experience ways to explore Judaism on-line and through CD-rom.
In the world of Yetsirah, the realm of feeling:
People to feel warmly connected, to enjoy the service by having lots of song and participation, and to feel comfortable.
In the world of Beriyah, the realm of knowing:
For people to know there is a form of Judaism that is fun and not boring.For people to think about the difference between Noah and Abraham and reflect on their own lives and mitzvah choices.
In the world of Atzilut, the realm of Being:
I want this ritual to help me feel like a man who has religious freedom and access to the information I need to make good choices about my religious life.
AND I want my guests to be happy.