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First
and foremost a Jewish circumcision in Hebrew is called "Brit
Milah" literally means "Covenant of Circumcision".
It is the sign to indicate the eternal covenant that God
established with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17).
It was then reiterated through Moses at Mount Sinai about
500 years later: "And on the 8th day he shall have
his foreskin circumcised" (Leviticus 12:3).
When God chose Abram to be the founder of the chosen nation,
He commanded him to circumcise himself. Afterwards, God
changed his name to Abraham. Ever since, every Jewish father
has his son circumcised on the eight day after his baby
is born.
Baby girls don't have a corresponding ceremony, because
a woman in the greatest esteem. It is the Jewish mother
who conveys the Jewish status and birthright upon her child,
guaranteeing the future of the entire Jewish people. Jewish
tradition tells us a newborn girl is considered "complete"
as were a newborn boy would need to be circumcised to reach
completeness.
God assured Abraham, as long as there would be human beings
in the world, there would always be Jews. This covenant
between God and Abraham was sealed through the act of circumcision.
History has proven time and again that even the most powerful
nations on earth are bound eventually to vanish into extinction
-- e.g., the Egyptians, the Hittites, the Philistines, the
Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, the
Holy Roman Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire,
and the Philistines... And yet the Jewish people still remain
strong and vibrant. Today, by performing the act circumcision,
Jews perpetuate the covenant and make their children a part
of that eternal promise.
This explains why the mark of circumcision is made on the
reproductive organ -- it symbolizes the idea that the Jewish
People's seed will never be destroyed. Judaism views body
and soul as holy partners in serving God. Therefore, the
Bris is performed on the most physical part, for all of
man is holy before his Creator. The circumcision joins the
forces of body and soul together in serving God
Why
the 8th day?
Kabala explains that seven days represent
the physical world of creation. Thus, when a child has lived
for eight days, he has transcended the physical to the metaphysical.
The covenant joining body and soul, physical and spiritual,
can now take place. A Bris has no meaning when performed
before the eighth day.
The moment of the Bris has a great spiritual effect upon
the child and therefore Jewish law specifies that the Mohel
(who performs the Jewish circumcision) should be a religious
person who has mastered the set of Jewish laws regarding
circumcision and received extensive practical training.
It has therefore been the tradition that a Rabbi, cantor,
or spiritual leader will also serve the community as a Mohel.
During the actual Bris it is an auspicious time for prayer.
The baby's cry is a pure cry, which pierces the heavenly
gate, and therefore the gate is open for other prayers.
Interesting Studies:
Furthermore, the torah teachesus
that every good-deed that we perform (whether we understand
the purpose or not) have so many countless physical and
spiritual benefits. A circumcision has been known
to offer virtually complete protection from penile cancer.
According to a recent review article in the New England
Journal of Medicine, none of the over 1,600 persons studied
with this cancer had been circumcised in infancy. In the
words of Cochen and McCurdy, the incidence of penile cancer
in the U.S. is "essentially zero" among circumcised
men.
Several studies reported that circumcised boys were between
10-to-39 times less likely to develop urinary tract infections
during infancy than uncircumcised boys. In addition, circumcision
protects against bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections
and a variety of other conditions related to hygiene.
The extremely low rate of cervical cancer in Jewish women
(nine-to-22 times less than among non-Jewish women) is
thought to be related to the practice of circumcision.
As a result of studies like these, a number of prestigious
medical organizations have recognized the benefits of
circumcision, and the California Medical Association has
endorsed circumcision as an "effective public health
measure."
For this reason a person who underwent a medical circumcision,
without intent to fulfill this commandment, should undergo
a subsequent procedure performed with specific intent
to fulfill this mitzvah. This subsequent procedure is
relatively painless, involving only the drawing of blood
from the reproductive organ, but done in the name of Bris
Malay.
Many times, men who are coming back to their Jewish roots
discover that they did not have a Bris done by a traditional
mohel. In this situation, they are required to have a
drop of blood drawn from the circumcision area and a proper
Jewish naming ceremony. This is called htafas dom.
On the eighth day after the
baby is born, between sunrise and sunset is the appropriate
time for the Bris ceremony. (I.e. if a baby is born at
11:30 AM on Monday, the Bris should take place the following
Monday - eight days later). Many people choose earlier
on the 8th day, simply not to delay a good-deed.
If the baby is not so well, it should be delayed jugged
by a Rabbi. Jewish law considers the baby's health as an
utmost priority.
If a baby is born during the evening anytime after sunset,
Jewish tradition considers the next day to be the first
day of the count. (I.e. if a baby is born at 11:30 PM Monday
evening, Monday evening is considered part of the following
Tuesday. So the Bris should take place the following Tuesday
during the day
A Bris may only take place on Sabbath (Saturday) and Jewish
Holidays when the following criteria are met.
-The
baby was born the previous Sabbath (or eight days before
the Jewish Holidays)
-The baby was born naturally (and not cesarean section).
-The Bris must otherwise be postponed to the next possible
date
(i.e. Sunday or the next day that isn't a Jewish holiday).
THE
CIRCUMCISION CEREMONY IS DIVIDED INTO BASIC STEPS
We
begin with preparation.
Kvatterin (colloquially-Godmother)
Kvatter (colloquially-
Godfather) |
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The Kvatterin and Kvatter
are commonly a couple seeking to have a child, as
it's said that since they are involved in bringing
this infant to his bris, they, too will be blessed
with children.
Calling the Kvatterin:
I. The
Mohel (who performs the Jewish circumcision)
wrapped in a tallit
calls in
the Kvatter to the sanctuary.
The Kvatterin passes the infant from mother to the
kvatter. The
kvatter brings the infant into the sanctuary to
begin the ceremony.
When the infant is brought into the room, everyone
stands and greets him with the words "Baruch
Haba" - "Blessed
is the one arriving"...
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Hebrew: |
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English: |
Blessed
is the one arriving!
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Pinchas,
the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the
Kohen, has turned My wrath away from the
children of Israel when he displayed anger
among them in My behalf, so that I did not
wipe out the children of Israel in My anger.
Therefore say: I grant him My covenant of
peace: |
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II.
Kisay Shel Eliyahu - The
person who will place the baby on The Chair of Elijah.
The Kvatter passes the
infant to the person who will place the baby on The
Chair of Elijah.
Elijah the prophet comes to every Jewish Bris, there
are two primary reasons for this.
1. Elijah was a champion for the mitzvah of Bris in
his day, he was given the privilege to share in every
Bris.
2. Elijah will herald the messianic era.Since each child
has the potential to help bring the Messiah, Elijah
comes to greet the child who can help him bring the
messianic era to all mankind.
Once the child is placed on the chair, the
Mohel
recites the following...
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Hebrew: |
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English: |
This
is the Seat of Elijah the Prophet, may
he be remembered for good.
For Your deliverance I hope, O Lord. I
have hoped for Your deliverance, Lord,
and I have performed Your commandments.
Elijah, angel of the Covenant, here is
yours before you; stand at my right and
support me. I rejoice in Your word, like
one who finds great spoil. Those who love
Your Torah have abounding peace, and there
is no stumbling for them. Happy is the
man You choose and bring near to dwell
in Your courtyards; we will be satiated
with the goodness of Your House, Your
Holy Temple: |
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III.
Sandak -
Wrapped in a tallit is usually the father, a grandfather,
a very close friend or
a very respected Torah scholar.
Someone then takes the baby
from the Chair of Elijah, and puts the baby into the
lap of the Sandak. The Sandak sits on a nearby chair.
The ceremony will be done on the Sandak's lap.
The mohel asks the father if he may act as the father's
proxy for this special commandment of circumcision
(the father has the right to perform the circumcision
himself. Usually, the father appoints the mohel as
his proxy, since it requires many details).
The Mohel then recites the following blessing...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Praised
are You, Adonai our God, who rules the
universe, whose mitzvot add holiness to
our lives and who gave us the mitzvah
of circumcision.  (Amen
- All) |
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Here
the Mohel circumcises the baby. There are
several steps to the act of circumcision: cutting
of the foreskin, moving aside the remaining
skin (p'riah) and squeezing blood (metzizah, usually
with a sterile narrow tube). Usually the baby will
cry briefly but quiet down almost immediately.
The mohel soothes the baby either by offering him
either a finger to suck on, a pacifier, or a bit of
wine.
IV.
Immediately after the circumcision is performed the
father recites the following blessing...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Praised
are You, Adonai our God, who rules the
universe, whose mitzvot add holiness to
our lives and who gave us the mitzvah
to bring our son into the covenant of
Abraham our father and Sarah our mother.
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V.
All
respond loudley...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Amen!
- Just
as he has entered into the Covenant, so
may he enter into Torah, into marriage,
and into good deeds: |
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VI.
The Mohel completes the
Bris and the infant is taken from the Sandek's lap
and given to the Sandek standing.
VII. The
Mohel or a guests that you wish to honor
takes the cup of wine in his right hand and recites
the following blessing...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Blessed
are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,
who creates the fruit of the vine:(Amen
- All)
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of
the universe, who sanctified the beloved
one from the womb, set His statute in
his flesh, and sealed his descendants
with the sign of the holy Covenant. Therefore,
as a reward of this (circumcision), the
living God, our Portion, our Rock, has
ordained that the beloved of our flesh
be saved from the abyss, for the sake
of the Covenant which He has set in our
flesh. Blessed are You Lord, who makes
the Covenant(Amen
- All) |
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VIII.
Sadek
Shane -
Baby naming
The person honored
with the giving of the name recites the following...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Our
God and God of our fathers, preserve this
child for his father and mother, and his
name in Israel shall be called
(baby's Hebrew name)
the son of
(baby's father's
Hebrew name) May
the father rejoice in his offspring, and
his mother be glad with the fruit of her
womb, as it is written: "May your
father and mother rejoice, and she who
bore you be glad." And it is said:
"I passed by you and saw you weltering
in your blood, and I said to you: You
shall live through your blood; and I said
to you: 'You shall live through your blood.'"
And it is said: "He has remembered
His Covenant forever, the word which He
has commanded to a thousand generations;
the Covenant which He made with Abraham,
and His oath to Isaac; He established
it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel
as an everlasting Covenant." And
it is said: "Abraham circumcised
his son Isaac when he was eight days old,
as God had commanded him." Give thanks
to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness
is everlasting.
Give thanks to the
Lord for He is good, for His kindness
is everlasting. May this little infant
(baby's
Hebrew name) the
son of (baby's
father's Hebrew name) become
great. Just as he has entered the Covenant,
so may he enter into Torah, into marriage,
and into good deeds. |
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After
naming the child, the person who recited the blessings
drinks some wine.
IX. The
Mohel blesses the infant...
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
May
He who blessed our fathers, Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and
Solomon, bless this tender infant
(baby's Hebrew
name) and
send him a complete recovery, because
he has enter the covenant , just as he
entered the covenant, so may he entered
into Torah, to marriage canopy, and to
good deeds; and
let us say, Amen |
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X.
Now the Mohel and father
recite the following prayer:
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Hebrew: |
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| English: |
Sovereign
of the universe, may it be Your will that
this (circumcision) be regarded and accepted
by You as if l had offered him before
the Throne of Your Glory. And You, in
Your abounding mercy, send through Your
holy angels a holy and pure soul to
Father
says:
(baby's
Hebrew name) my
son |
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Mohel
Says:
(baby's
father's Hebrew name)
the son
of (baby's
Hebrew name) |
who
has now been circumcised
for the sake of Your great Name. May his
heart be open as the portal of the Great
Hall in the Temple in Your holy Torah,
to learn and to teach, to observe and
to practice; grant him long life, a life
imbued with the fear of sin, a life of
wealth and honor; and fulfill the desires
of his heart for good. Amen, and so may
it be Your will. |
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XII.
The kvatter takes
the infant from the sandak and
hands him to the kvatterin, who hands him back to
the mother.
Everyone present is always invited to a festive meal
which now takes place.
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