Brit Milah: Jewish Circumcision

Brit Milah: Jewish Circumcision

Brit milah (covenant of circumcision) is the first commandment given to Abraham in the Torah: "This is My covenant which you shall keep between Me and you and your descendants: every male among you shall be circumcised" (Genesis 17:10). It is a physical sign of the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people.

The Eighth Day

Circumcision must be performed on the eighth day of the child's life, even if it falls on Shabbat or Yom Kippur. It is postponed only for medical reasons (jaundice, low weight, infection). A premature baby waits until medically stable and then seven full days are counted before circumcision. The punctuality of the eighth day is so central that if the family does not know the exact date, it is not performed until it can be determined.

The Mohel

The mohel is the trained and certified person who performs the brit milah. Traditionally male, but in Conservative and Reform movements there are also mohelot (women). The mohel must have:

• Knowledge of relevant halakhah (Jewish law)
• Medical training in circumcision
• Certification from a recognized rabbinical organization
• Surgical skill and knowledge of asepsis and anesthesia

The Ceremony

The ceremony includes:

1. Kvatter/kvatterin: The person who brings the baby and hands him to the mohel.
2. Blessings: The father recites the blessing of having brought the son into the covenant of Abraham.
3. Milah (cut) and peri'ah (tearing): The mohel performs the circumcision and uncovers the glans.
4. Metzitzah: Suction of blood. Traditionally oral (metzitzah b'peh), today almost always with a sterile glass tube.
5. Blessing over wine and naming: Kiddush is recited and the baby's Hebrew name is announced.

Hatafat Dam Brit

For a boy who was already born circumcised or was medically circumcised without Jewish intent, hatafat dam brit is performed — a symbolic extraction of a drop of blood from the circumcision site.

Alternative Ceremonies — Brit Shalom

The Reform movement introduced brit shalom (covenant of peace) for families who do not wish circumcision. It is a welcoming ceremony without circumcision. However, most Reform rabbis still recommend brit milah.

Zeved Habat — Welcoming Girls

Zeved habat (gift of the daughter) or brit bat (covenant of the daughter) is the naming ceremony for girls. In Sephardic communities it is held in the synagogue on the eighth day; in Ashkenazi communities, traditionally the father would announce the name in the synagogue. Today, many families celebrate ceremonies at home or in the synagogue with blessings, Torah reading, and kiddush.

"The world stands on three things: Torah, divine service, and acts of kindness" — and brit milah is the gateway to the covenant.