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May G-d grant His blessings for success to all the Bar Mitzvah celebrants and their parents, brothers, sisters and other family members. May it be a unique blessing associated with the theme of Bar Mitzvah.

This is in addition to all the blessings mentioned earlier which also apply to each of you, for you are a part of "the holy nation," "one nation," "one nation in the land."

Becoming responsible for mitzvos is actually a privilege; our sages said:

The Holy One, Blessed be He, wished to make the people of Israel meritorious, therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvos in abundant measure.... (Makkos 23b)

So this is a time of good fortune, consequently, you have the advantage of receiving a special increase in all aspects of the blessings.

Just as Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai rejoiced at the Bar Mitzvah of his only son, R. Elazar, similarly every family should rejoice on the Bar Mitzvah of a son and Bas Mitzvah of a daughter.

To increase the blessing we must increase the observance of good deeds. It is therefore appropriate that you should contribute to tzedakah on the day of your Bar Mitzvah and if it occurs on Shabbos -- then give tzedakah on Friday and Sunday.

Fulfilling this precept, which is compared to all the mitzvos, will increase the blessings of G-d associated with the Bar Mitzvah.

And in addition to accepting the responsibility of observing Torah and mitzvos, you should perform the mitzvos splendidly, adding beauty to the mitzvos as a measure of Chassidic piety. And you should increase your prayer and Torah study by learning chapter 14 of Tehillim.

It is also advisable that the parents and relatives who want to add merit to the Bar Mitzvah should increase their tzedakah in his merit; all this should be done joyously and gladly.

The month of Nissan adds emphasis to these thoughts. It is the "month of redemption," the "season of our freedom," when no tachnunim (penitential prayers) are recited, for G-d bestows His blessings from "His full, open, Holy and generous Hand...."

What is the greatest happiness -- when a son or daughter reaches the age of mitzvos. (Immediately following which, there is a special potential to influence others with the power of Ahavas Yisroel [love of fellow Jew].)

The theme of Bar Mitzvah reminds us that Torah must always seem new to us, as if received today, as if today, you become Bar Mitzvah.

To this the month of Nissan adds the blessing of freedom and comfort. May G-d fulfill the promise:

In Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan the future redemption will come.

(Rosh Hashanah 11a)

In Nissan of 5745!

So that I may merit to participate with each of you in all of the above, I will give a dollar bill to each of you to be given to tzedakah.

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