Shalom and thank you for your question!
As a caring grandfather, you wish to help your grandson make the transition to Jewish adulthood in an authentic manner, as the grandson himself seeks to do.
At the age of thirteen a Jewish boy (and a Jewish girl at twelve years old,) becomes officially obligated in the performance of Torah and Mitzvot (learning Torah and carrying out its commandments,) and becomes a member of the universal Jewish community, and reaches a stage of an inner spiritual maturity that enables him to have free choice, because a higher level of his soul has become connected to him.
One of the special Mitzvot a boy begins to perform from his Bar Mitzvah onwards, is the Mitzvah of Tefillin, (phylacteries.) Putting on Tefillin (or ‘laying’ Tefillin), which are placed on the head and the arm, represents the connection of the mind and the heart to G-d.
The market for religious items like Tefillin and Mezuzot is unfortunately flooded with items that are not properly made and thus are barely kosher, or even unkosher. It is very important to make sure that the genuine kosher item is the one that is purchased. If you let us know the area in which you live, we will find out which Chabad emissary is in your area and can help you find a good source for the purchase.
It is worthwhile arranging for a Rabbi to prepare your grandson for the Bar Mitzvah. He will teach him how to ‘lay’ the Tefillin, the blessings to say, the recital of Shema, and more. The Bar Mitzvah boy gets called up to the Torah in the synagogue, which is read three times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays and Shabbat, as well as Rosh Chodesh, (beginning of the Jewish month,) and Jewish festivals. The weekly Torah portion is divided into sections called ‘Aliyot’. For each Aliya, another person is invited up to the Bimah where the Torah is read, and says a blessing before and after that Torah section. Being called up to the Torah is an integral part of the Bar Mitzvah ceremony.
When does this take place? At the first opportunity after the boys thirteenth birthday, the boy is called up to the Torah. For example, if his Jewish birthday falls on a Tuesday, the next Torah reading will be on the Thursday of that week, and that is when he will be called up to the Torah. There are those who wait till the first Shabbat after the birthday, but then care must be taken that this will not involve desecration of the Shabbat, so this is also a reason to be in contact with a local orthodox Rabbi. The Rabbi who prepares your grandson for his Bar Mitzvah will also prepare him for being called up to the Torah by teaching him the blessings to be made, and the way to read the relevant portion according to the ‘Taamei haMikra’, the cantillation notes that indicate the special ‘tune’ for the Torah reading. These are read differently in various Sefardic or Ashkenazic communities, so this also requires the appropriate teaching.
Remember that turning Bar Mitzvah happens with or without celebration, one becomes obligated in the performance of Torah and Mitzvot according to one’s age, from the age of thirteen the boy has become a Jewish adult.
Congratulations! We wish you lots of joy together with your grandson. Let us know if you want us to search for a Chabad representative who can refer you to the right places to purchase Tefillin, or a person to teach your grandson. Let us know also, if you have further questions.
All the best!
