"Teenagers"

The term teenager was invented in the 1800’s[1]. Before then you went from child to adult. Isn’t that the way we do it, at the age of thirteen, (the first year of the teens) you are a gadol – an adult. 

On Obama-Care, you are covered under your parents insurance till 26! This lengthens the childhood even longer. Our teens need to become adults sooner.

I think the term teenager is often used as an excuse for inexcusable behavior. The Torah is of the opinion, that you are entirely responsible for your own behavior from you Bar or Bas Mitzvah[2]. No excuses.

What do you think?









[1] http://wiki.answers.com/Q/When_was_the_word_'teenager'_invented

In the year 1818 the term teener was coined and it became popularized as teenager in 1941.


[2] Interestingly, there seems to be some exceptions. Maybe we can cut them a little slack. Or sages tell us (Breisis Rabbah 58 and others) that heavenly punishments (vs. punishments of the courts) are only given for sins done after the age of twenty – the year following the end of the ‘teens’. In addition, the year that the Torah enlists for serving in the army is twenty as well.