6234 —זמן בר מצוה, תפילין, ועליה לתורה בראש השנה

B"H, 9 Iyar, 5718. Brooklyn.

Machatunim haVavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Mo"h Isser Klubgant

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 5th of Iyar, in which you write regarding the Bar Mitzvah of your son Menachem Mendel, which falls on the eve of Rosh Hashanah—when should he begin putting on tefillin, etc.

It is surprising that this question arises after the directive of my father-in-law, the Rebbe (printed in Hayom Yom for 2 Menachem Av), has been publicized—a directive for all: one begins putting on tefillin two months before the Bar Mitzvah; at first without a blessing and after several weeks with a blessing.

Regarding your question if there is room to hold the mitzvah meal on Motzaei Shabbat: It is obvious that entering the age of mitzvot occurs at the very first moment after completing thirteen years. This is also one of the reasons why we begin tractate Berachot with "Me'eimatai Korin et Shema b'Aravin" (From when do we recite Shema in the evenings)—the first mitzvah that a Jewish man becomes obligated in upon becoming an adult.

Concerning being called up to the Torah (aliyah), it is known from the talk of 25 Shevat 5696 about the virtue of an aliyah at Minchah on Shabbat. But it is clear that one should not delay, G‑d forbid, his aliyah until the Shabbat after his Bar Mitzvah; he should be called up to the Torah on Rosh Hashanah. And since from this directive it is evident that the common custom of calling him up for Maftir is not obligatory (and there is reason to say that in many places this custom arose because people could not rely on parents as to whether their son's aliyah was at its proper time or earlier; therefore they instituted Maftir—but as above this custom is not universally accepted), and it seems that in most places Maftir for Rosh Hashanah belongs to the rabbi or similar figures, and there is no reason to change this. Rather, based on what was said above—in this case and similarly for anyone—he should also be called up at Minchah on the following Shabbat.

With blessings for good news.

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that tefillin are begun two months before Bar Mitzvah (first without a blessing), entry into mitzvot happens immediately upon turning thirteen, and aliyah to Torah should occur at Rosh Hashanah itself—not delayed—with an additional aliyah at Minchah on Shabbat afterwards.