Baby Dedication = this is offered in the Christian Community… a time where parents pledge in front of the congregation that they will raise their child in the “faith,” allowing and believing that the child, himself, has to come to G-d on his own.
Is there something similar to that in the Messianic Community. I have been researching the Scriptures, and unable to find anything to backup “the above tradition.”
Yes, many Torah Scriptures talk about… parents teaching their lifestyle on to their children… generation by generation… but is there a ceremony… sort of like Bar Mitzvah, or a feast etc.?
The “prayer of Hannah” comes to mind, but that is before the child is born. Would you say… circumcision to be something similar as Baby Dedication… and if so… what about the female child?
Dear Brenda:
There is no ceremony to my knowledge, having come from several Jewish disciplines, that approximates the Christian one you cite. There are some that are perhaps similar in scope but not in particulars.There is the “pidyon haben” Redemption of the First Born, but it only applies to male children at 31 days of age and only to the first born male child. After the tribes worshipped the Golden Calf YHVH designated the Levites as His priestly tribe. Originally, it was to be the first born of all Israel who would serve as priests, but because of the sin of the golden calf they were denied this honor. The firstborn male child was then required to be redeemed through this ceremony. We see Yahshua taken to the Temple for this ceremony in Luke.
Luke 2: 21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Yahshua, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luke 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)The interesting phrase here is that He was presented to the L-ord. Could this infer dedicated because the Greek word also means yielded?.
Such a ceremony is not commanded in the Jewish Community because Jewish parents are reminded each Shabbat in the full Sh’ma by G-d to that we are to raise up our children in His Torah. It is a given and there is no special ceremony appropriating the Christian one of dedication you cite.
Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.As you say there is a tremendous amount of attention and Scripture in the Tanakh to raise your children in the knowledge of G-d. It is not something we are suggested to do, but commanded to do, so I suggest that is why there is no ceremony like the Christian one you cite.
Circumcision (B’rit Milah) means “cut covenant.” All YHVH’s covenants has to be sealed (ratified) with blood, a typology of Yahshua. Females are not required to be circumcised. Remember, Eve was deceived but Adam sinned. Adam is the federal head of mankind who fell and the sin gene is passed through him and not Eve. That is why Yahshua had to be born of a virgin so as not to inherit the sin gene. It’s a long thesis, but that is why women are not required to undergo circumcision.
The Bar and Bat Mitzvah is the ceremony whereby a boy or girl becomes of age and enters into the covenant of Torah. They are now accountable to YHVH for their observance of His commandments. This is probably akin to the Christian confirmation ceremony.
I hope I helped you some, although I did not identify an appropriate ceremony for you. None is in my memory, but I also researched the question and could find nothing in an extensive Jewish library. If you in your study find something contrary to or approximating a “Christian Child’s Dedication Ceremony” in Judaism or in the Bible please let me know for I am a perpetual bible student too.