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Avraham Avinu and Mitzvat Milah
The Gemara (Yoma 28b) states: “Rav said: Avraham Avinu fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given, as it is stated: ‘Because Avraham hearkened to My voice and kept My charge, My Mitzvot, My statutes, and My Torahs’” (BeReishit 26:5). This Talmudic passage suggests that Avraham observed all the Mitzvot. However, a question arises: if Avraham kept the entire Torah, why did he only perform the Mitzvah of Brit Milah at age 99, as described in Lech Lecha (BeReishit 17:24)? Why did he not perform this Mitzvah earlier, before receiving the divine command?
Rabbeinu Tam’s Answer
Rabbeinu Tam, as cited in Tosafot HaShaleim, addresses this question by invoking Chazal’s teaching (Kiddushin 31a): “Greater is one who fulfills a Mitzvah because he is commanded to do so than one who does a Mitzvah who is not commanded to do so” (Gadol HaMetzuvah V’Oseh MiMi She’Eino Metzuvah V’Oseh). Rabbeinu Tam explains that Avraham Avinu, aware that Hashem would command him to perform Brit Milah, deliberately waited for the divine command. By doing so, Avraham ensured that his fulfillment of the Mitzvah would carry the greater spiritual weight of being performed under obligation, rather than voluntarily.
The Bar Mitzvah Boy Kiddush Levanah Question
Rav Zvi Pesach Frank extends Rabbeinu Tam’s reasoning to a practical halachic question regarding a boy approaching his bar mitzvah. If a boy will turn 13 before the midpoint of the lunar month, when Kiddush Levanah is typically recited, should he recite the blessing at the earliest opportunity, even though he is not yet Bar Mitzvah and thus not fully obligated in Mitzvot? Or should he wait until after his Bar Mitzvah, when he becomes obligated and can recite Kiddush Levanah as one who is “commanded and does it” (Metzuvah V’Oseh)?
Additionally, Rav Zvi Pesach raises a second question: if the boy recites Kiddush Levanah before his bar Mitzvah, while still a minor (Katan), would he need to repeat the blessing after becoming Bar Mitzvah, when he is fully obligated in Mitzvot?
Rav Zvi Pesach’s Answer to the First Question
Drawing on Rabbeinu Tam’s principle, Rav Zvi Pesach rules that the boy should wait until after his Bar Mitzvah to recite Kiddush Levanah. Just as Avraham Avinu waited for the divine command to perform Brit Milah to fulfill the Mitzvah as one who is commanded, the boy should delay reciting Kiddush Levanah until he is obligated in Mitzvot. This delay ensures that his recitation carries the greater merit of Metzuvah V’Oseh, aligning with the principle that fulfilling a Mitzvah under obligation is of greater spiritual significance.
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rav Chaim Kanievsky Dissent
By contrast, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Ishei Yisrael 40: ftn. 10) and Rav Chaim Kanievsky (Teshuva 341 printed at the end of Ishei Yisrael) rule that the Bar Mitzvah boy may say Kiddush Levanah at its proper time without waiting until the day they become Bar Mitzvah. They reason that, since Kiddush Levanah is a rabbinic obligation and there is Chinuch for the boy to say Kiddush Levanah even pre-Bar Mitzvah, he can say it without delay.
Rav Zvi Pesach’s Analysis of the Second Question
For the second question, Rav Zvi Pesach initially considers whether a boy who recites Kiddush Levanah before his Bar Mitzvah must repeat it afterward. He draws an analogy to the Magen Avraham’s ruling (Orach Chaim 267:1) regarding Kiddush on Shabbat. The Magen Avraham states that a person who recites Kiddush during Tosefet Shabbat (the rabbinically instituted time before nightfall when one accepts Shabbat early) fulfills the Torah-level Mitzvah of Kiddush, even if Tosefet Shabbat is a rabbinic institution. Thus, the individual does not need to repeat Kiddush after nightfall. Applying this to Kiddush Levanah, Rav Zvi Pesach initially suggests that a boy who recites the blessing as a minor, when he is rabbinically obligated due to Chinuch (education in mitzvot), might be considered to have fulfilled the Mitzvah fully, such that he would not need to repeat it after becoming Bar Mitzvah.
However, Rav Zvi Pesach ultimately rejects this analogy, delving into the nature of Chinuch—the obligation for a minor to perform Mitzvot. A fundamental dispute exists between Rashi and Tosafot on this matter. Rashi (see Chagigah 2a, Berachot 20a, Berachot 48a, Sukkah 42a) holds that the Mitzvah of Chinuch is an obligation that devolves upon the father to train his child in Mitzvot. In contrast, Tosafot (see Berachot 20a, Berachot 48a, and Arachin 2b) argues that Chinuch imposes a rabbinic obligation on the child himself to perform the Mitzvah.
According to Rashi, when a minor recites Kiddush Levanah, he is not fulfilling a personal obligation; rather, his father is fulfilling the Mitzvah of Chinuch by teaching him. Consequently, the boy’s recitation as a minor does not count as fulfilling the Mitzvah of Kiddush Levanah. Therefore, Rav Zvi Pesach concludes that if the boy recites Kiddush Levanah before his Bar Mitzvah, he must repeat the blessing after becoming Bar Mitzvah, when he is personally obligated in Mitzvot.
Rav Asher Weiss
Rav Asher Weiss (Teshuvot Minchat Asher 1:4) addresses a similar question – whether a Bar Mitzvah boy is Yotzei (has fulfilled) his obligation of Birkot HaTorah with the Berachah he made in the morning, on the night he becomes a Gadol.
Rav Weiss notes that three great early twentieth-century Poskim dealt with this issue. The Teshuvot Maharasham (3:121) and Teshuvot Maharshag (3:153) rule that the Berachah he made as a Katan suffices for when he becomes a Gadol. However, the Kozheglover Rav (Teshuvot Eretz Tzvi 16) rules that he is not Yotzei with the Berachah he made as a Katan.
Rav Weiss notes that this matter was not addressed in the vast Halachic literature until approximately one hundred years ago, leading him to follow the Maharsham and Maharshag. Had it been an issue, Poskim would have addressed it since it is a matter that arises for every boy and girl upon becoming a Gadol.
Rav Weiss explains that although one who is only obligated on a rabbinic level cannot be Motzi one on a Torah level (and thus a Katan cannot be Motzi a Gadol, as taught in Berachot 20b), a person can always be Motzi himself.
However, Rosh HaShanah 28b seems to contradict Rav Weiss’ assertion, as it teaches that one is not Yotzei with Mitzvot he fulfilled as a Shoteh (mentally incapacitated). Rav Weiss responds that the reason for this is not because the Shoteh is Patur from Mitzvot, but rather (as the Turei Even to Rosh HaShanah 28b explains), since he is a Mitaseik (one who is unaware of his actions, making them a nullity) regarding the Mitzvah.
Although the Turei Even also regards a Katan’s actions as Mitaseik, the Mishnah (Keilim 17:15) explicitly states that a Katan’s actions are significant and not Mitaseik. The Gemara (Berachot 20b) proves the point as a Katan can be Motzi an adult who is Chayav in Birkat HaMazon only on a rabbinic level (such as if he ate a KeZayit of bread but did not eat to satisfaction).
Thus, Rav Weiss concludes that one can be Motzi himself as a Gadol with the Mitzvot he fulfilled as a Katan.
A similar idea is articulated by the Chayei Adam (Hilchot Shabbat, 6:3). He cites the Magen Avraham (267:1) questioning how we can be Motzi ourselves with the Kiddush we recite before Friday night sunset, according to the Rishonim who believe that Tosefet Shabbat (the time we add to Shabbat before sunset on Friday evening) is only a rabbinic matter.
The Chayei Adam answers that the Mitzvah one fulfilled when he was obligated on a rabbinic level counts even for when he becomes obligated in that matter on a Torah level. He compares the situation to one who recites a Shehechiyanu on building a Sukkah before Sukkot, who does not say another Shehechiyanu on Sukkot on Yom Tov night (Shulchan Aruch 641:1).
Rav Weiss concludes that, according to baseline Halacha, a Bar Mitzvah need not repeat Birkat HaTorah or intend to fulfill it when saying Ahavat Olam at Maariv that night. While it may be advisable to have it in mind when saying Ahavat Olam to remove oneself from concern, Rav Weiss writes that this should not be regarded as a Halachic requirement (Halacha Pesukah).
Rav Weiss’ ruling regarding Birkot HaTorah for a Bar Mitzvah boy seems to apply even more so to Kiddush Levanah, since it is undoubtedly only a rabbinic matter. Therefore, while a Katan should wait until he becomes a Gadol to say Kiddush Levanah, he is not required to do so. He certainly should not repeat Kiddush Levanah after becoming a Gadol if he did so as a Katan. It might not even be advisable to wait until a Gadol if he would miss the opportunity to say Kiddush Levanah with a large group, according to Rav Weiss. He certainly should not repeat Kiddush Levanah after he becomes a Gadol, even if he has said it as a Katan.
Rav Shay Schachter spoke with Rav Weiss on my behalf, and Rav Weiss responded that, indeed, unlike Rav Frank, there is no obligation for a Bar Mitzvah to wait until he becomes a Gadol to say Kiddush Levanah. However, he said, perhaps it is a Middat Chassidut (meritorious but not required) for the Bar Mitzvah to wait until he is a Gadol to say Kiddush Levanah.
Rav Ovadia Yosef
Rav Ovadia Yosef (Teshuvot Yabia Omer 3: Orach Chaim 27:9), though, agrees with Rav Frank that a Katan should wait until he becomes Bar Mitzvah to recite Kiddush Levanah. Rav Ovadia rules that he should wait even if it means he will forego the opportunity to say Kiddush Levanah with a crowd.
However, he argues that if the boy said Kiddush Levanah before his Bar Mitzvah, he should not repeat it after his Bar Mitzvah. Rav Yosef is concerned for Tosafot’s opinion that a Katan is obligated in his own right and thus already discharged his obligation to say Kiddush Levanah.
On the other hand, even according to Tosafot, a Katan’s actions may be defined as fulfilling the Mitzvah of Chinuch (Mitzvah training), not Kiddush Levanah. Thus, even according to Tosafot, the Bar Mitzvah boy has not yet fulfilled the Mitzvah of Kiddush Levanah. The question of whether a Katan fulfilling Mitzvot is defined as fulfilling the Mitzvah of Chinuch or the specific Mitzvah he is doing is a popularly debated learning topic (see, for example, Rav Yitzchak Adler’s “Lomdus”, pp. 25-27, in the Hebrew section).
Nonetheless, since these questions remain unresolved, the safest option is to invoke the Safek Brachot L’Hakel principle.
Conclusion
Rav Hershel Schachter and Rav Mordechai Willig rule that a Bar Mitzvah should follow Rav Yosef’s ruling and not repeat Kiddush Levanah if he already said it before the Bar Mitzvah. They also follow Rav Frank in saying that a Bar Mitzvah boy should wait until he becomes a Gadol to say Kiddush Levanah. However, he should set numerous reminders to say it, as he might forget to say Kiddush Levanah if he misses the communal recital.