01 When does a Bris have to be delayed?​

There are number of reasons why a Brit Milah might need to be delayed, some are health related, while others are halachically based. Some physical examples for delay are: jaundice, fever, eye infection, or premature birth. Some delays when it comes to Shabbat are: the baby is born via cesarian section, or during the twilight hours when Shabbat begins or ends. All of these calculations are technical and a mohel or rabbi (or both) need to be consulted to make sure the Bris is done at the proper time.

 

 

02 Can a Bris be done at night?​

A Brit Milah cannot be done at night. The Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 262:1, states that the Brit Milah must be done after sunrise. The Rammah adds that if it’s done after first light, it still counts. But both agree that if the Bris is done at night, the baby needs *Hatafat Dam Brit.



* Hatafat Dam Brit is a ritual pinprick of blood. It is required when the foreskin has been removed but the Brit Milah was done at the improper time (at night or before the eighth day) or it was done by a non-Jew. The process is akin to an iron test one receives when donating blood. If you have any questions as to whether or not someone needs Hatafat Dam Brit, you should consult a mohel or rabbi.

 

 

03 Is it permissible to do a Brit on Shabbat?​

It is not only permissible, it is commanded. But this is only when the Brit Milah is done on the eighth day. If it's delayed for any reason the Bris must be carried out on a weekday. If you have any questions about whether or not your baby should be circumcised on Shabbat, please consult a mohel or a rabbi.

 

 

04 When should I inform my guests about the Bris? ​

It is wise to wait a few days before sending out the details of the event just in case any complications develop. However, one should not delay in the other preparations such as contacting the mohel, event space, and caterer. These things tend to be booked quickly and they all expect changes if there are any reasons for delay.

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05 Is a Minyan (a quorum of 10) required for a Brit Milah? ​

A Minyan is preferred, but not required for a Bris.

 

 

06 How does one become a mohel? 

I apprenticed with Dr. Ari Greenspan for close to three years, both observing and assisting him throughout my learning.  At the end of my training, I performed a number of solo Britot under his guidance, until the time came that I was qualified to work on my own. 

 

 

07 Why should one use a mohel over a doctor?

First and foremost, mohalim are the experts. We toil in this Mitzvah day in and day out. Our singularity of focus makes our technique quicker, more precise, lasting only a matter of minutes. Doctors', on the other hand, who have not learned the traditional method, could take upwards of 20-30 minutes. The goal of an expert mohel is to perform the ritual as painlessly as possible, in the shortest amount of time that safety allows. Additionally, an expert mohel utilises only the highest level of sterility, ensuring your new born's safety. 

 

 

08 How much discomfort will my child feel?

It is not possible to perform a Brit Milah without the child experiences some level of discomfort but an expert mohel will do everything in his power to minimize it. As we all know, even removing a child’s diaper can cause him to cry from the cold. But there are two things we will do to reduce the baby's pain. Dr. Rabbi Avraham Shteinberg of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, the leading researcher of medicine and halachah, states that some of the best pain management for an eight-day-old child is a combination of sugar water and topical anesthetic. For this reason, the parents will apply a topical anesthetic one hour before the Bris is meant to take place (instructions are at the bottom of this page). Additionally, I will be administering sugar water and grape juice throughout the ceremony. The question I hear most often is: “Why don’t you give the baby wine?” The reason is that, as displayed by Dr. Rabbi Shteinberg's recommendation, this is all the child needs.

 

 

09 Since it is the father’s Mitzvah, does he have to do the Brit Milah?

The Mitzvah of Milah does fall on the father, but that does not mean he’s obligated to do it himself. It is halachically permissible to designate a agent (the mohel), to perform the Brit in his stead. The only case where a father may be obligated to do the Bris is if he knows how, or is a mohel himself. This is the reason I performed the Britot for both of my sons – is because I’m halachically obligated. For those who are not mohelim, there is a mid-ground, if you are interested. The mohel can do everything except the cut, and the father can do the cut alone. In some ways, this is the best possible scenario because there is no need for establishing agency. For all intents and purposes, the father is performing the Bris. If anyone is interested in this option, please let me know before the Brit Milah begins. But I would also advise that the couple come to a consensus well before this point.

 

 

10 Can you recommend locations for the Bris?

There are quite a few good places to have your Simcha in the Jerusalem area. Here is a list of a sizable number of them.

 

 

11 What are the honors and whom can they be given to?

The honors for the Brit Milah can be given to almost anyone, but there are few stipulations that need to be mentioned.  First, all of the honors must be performed by Jews. 



 

Kevaterim - The pillow bearers. Usually, the honor is given to a couple, of which the woman takes the baby from the mother, gives it to her husband, and her husband then gives the baby to the father. But the honor need not only be limited to two people. Some families choose to add many other friends and family members in between. There are many iterations of this part of the service, the technicalities of which can be worked out beforehand.



Kesei Eliyahu - Once the father has said the opening Tefilot while holding the baby, there is an optional honor of someone taking the baby and placing him on the Chair of Elijah. At this point, the mohel recites a prayer for strength during the Brit Milah. The father can also be the one who places him on the chair.



Mei’Kesei Eliyahu - This honor is given to someone to take the baby from the chair and then place him on the lap of the Sandak for the actual Bris. However, this can also be done by the person who was honored with Kesei Eliyahu or by the father. The honors of "to" and "from" Elijah's Chair are a great way to incorporate people if you're need roles for family members, but they are not necessary.



Sandak - This is the person who has the baby on his lap for the actual Brit Milah. The first person in line to receive this honor is the Grandfather on the father’s side, but it not always the case. The Sandak can be the father or even a close friend. The only requirement for this role is that the person be strong enough to hold the baby's legs.

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Amidah La’Brachot - This person holds the baby for the Brachot and naming ceremony at the end of the Bris. This can be given to anyone.



Ha’Mivarech - This is the person who blesses the child and bestows his name upon him. This too can be given to anyone, but there is a good deal of Hebrew involved, so the person should be ready and able to read the required Hebrew and be familiar with the tune.  Click here to download the text of the entire service.

 

 

12 When you do *Metzitzah, do you use a tube?

This is a very important question. I will never do Metzitzah without a tube. I do this for one reason and one reason alone: the safety of your child. It has been known for over a century that there is a direct link between the practice of Metzitzah B’Peh (direct oral suction) and the transfer of infectious diseases. There was a massive outbreak of Hepatitis B in the New York area in the 1980s due to mohalim not using a tube. Although in adults, Hepatitis is not life-threatening, in the case of newborns, it is a matter of life and death. There have also been cases of mohalim contracting illness from this practice. Unfortunately, the controversy continues today. There are cases of a children dying from Herpes every year. Thankfully, some of the major Poskim are speaking out against the practice. But, as you can see from these examples, the tube protects both the child and the mohel. And there is no halachic reason not to use it. Using a tube is a halachically equivalent form of Metzitzah. But it’s not just the job of the mohel to use the tube; it is also the parents job to ask your mohel to use it. Many mohalim have a tube and would use it if they were simply asked to do so. So, be an advocate for your child and make sure that your mohel uses a Metzitzah tube. And if he's unwilling to do so, get another mohel.



*Metzitzah is the practice of drawing out some blood from the wound for health reasons.  It was believed by the Rabbis to be for the protection of the child, so much so, that one who did not do it was to be removed from his position. For more information on the practice click here. 

 

 

13 Why do you use gloves?

It is well known in modern medicine that one of the ways germs transfer, which can ultimately lead to infection, is by non-sterile contact to an open wound. We’ve all watched medical television shows and seen the doctors “scrubbing in.” I attempt to “scrub in” for every Bris I perform. I spend 3-5 minutes before the Bris sterilizing my hands with medical soap. I then lay out my tools which have all been sterilized in an *autoclave while wearing latex gloves. Then, just before the procedure, I change into surgical gloves, making it the most sterile environment outside of an operating room. 

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*Autoclave is a machine that all doctors and dentists use to sterilize their instruments. It uses high-pressure steam to eliminate 100% of germs.

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