Baptism

aptism, to effect the real initiation – rather full membership. Here again
water baptism adds members to the community takes in learners, but
purification and full membership into the commune of Church is effected by
being in the community where the Spirit does his work. (B. E. Thiering,
"Inner and Outer Cleansing at Qumran as a Background to New Testament
Baptism," New Testament Studies, 26 (1980), No. 2, pp. 266-277.)
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Apparently the believer’s baptism corresponds to the Bar-Mitzvah instead of
circumcision. Notice however that Barmitzvah is optional. Whether a
ceremony is conducted or not they become full participating members of the
community bearing full responsibility. In the ritualistic Qumran Community
however, a proper initiation must have been necessary.
Here let me reiterate the Jewish stand in this matter again.Talmudic references
for these are found in Conversion with Parents: Ketuvot 11a
The conversion of an infant or child has Jewish legal sanction. According to the
Talmud (Ketubot 11a), it is permissible for a religious court (a bet din) to convert a
gentile infant. The basis in Jewish law is that it is a privilege to be Jewish (Shulchan
Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 268:7). Therefore, a minor can be converted even though not
mature enough to understand the act because making the minor Jewish is performing
a favor for that infant or child. http://www.convert.org
Immersing the Child as part of conversion, on the Court's "Daat": Ketuvot 11a
Child's Option of Refusing conversion upon Maturing: Ketuvot 11a
Talmud adds that upon reaching the age of consent, (by Jewish law, 12 for a girl and
13 for a boy), the child is permitted to protest. In other words, the entire conversion is
conditional. The child has the right to protest when he or she reaches the age of
bar/bat mitzvah. Some rabbis formalize this, and actually ask the child upon reaching
majority if he or she wishes to protest the conversion. Some rabbis even require reimmersion
in a mikveh.
Thus And so the bar/bat mitzvah
is a reaffirmation of a ceremony
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