When
and Where?
A
brit milah is performed on the eighth day after a child is
born (even on Shabbat, festivals and Yom Kippur), often in
the morning after morning prayers (though it is permissible until
sunset). The ceremony may be conducted anywhere - in a hall, house
or Synagogue, customarily in the presence of friends and family.
One is forbidden to push off the day of the brit for the
sake of scheduling convenience. On the other hand, one is obligated
(according to Jewish law) to delay the ceremony for medical considerations.
Common medical reasons for postponing the brit include:
premature birth, particularly low birth weight, jaundice-very common
among newborns, and any condition in which the child's health is not
perfect.
A doctor and mohel may also not perform a brit because
of an irregularity in the genital organ. When a brit is postponed
more than six months, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate mandates a doctor's
presence alongside the mohel at the time of the circumcision.
As
new parents, you need to make a few decisions in the short week that
you have:
Check
List
You must choose a time and place for the brit.
If the brit is during the winter, make sure that the place will be
warm enough for the baby. If you are nursing your baby, make certain
there is a sufficiently private room in which to nurse your baby after
the circumcision.
Inform
your guests of the time and place of the circumcision.It
is worthwhile to hire a photographer or to find a family member who
will assume this responsibility.
Choose
a mohel who will perform the brit. Discuss in advance
his rate, his travel arrangements and his precise time of arrival.
He should visit your house to check your baby and instruct you in
caring for the baby before and after the brit.
If
possible, buy the anesthetic and antiseptic creams recommended by
your mohel in advance.
Choose
a name for your newborn.
Photocopy
copies of the text of the ceremony or download them by clicking here.
If you give your guests the text, they will feel more involved in
the event. Alternatively, you could hand out siddurs.
Decide
which relatives and friends, if any, will receive special responsibilities
at the brit. If you, the parents, plan to speak at the brit,
to explain the name you chose or to offer words of thanksgiving, prepare
your speech in advance. If you would like a relative or friend to
speak, let him or her know.
Why
is a Brit Milah a Public Event?
It
is customary to celebrate a brit milah with a festive meal
attended by one's friends and family. This celebration is both personal
- friends and family want to participate in the joyous occasion, as
well as national - since this event marks the child's entry into the
Jewish people, the entire "nation" celebrates with him.
The guests also lend a festive air to the naming ceremony, which occurs
at the brit.
Customs
in the week before the circumcision
Shalom
Zachar:
On the Friday night after the birth (and before the circumcision)
some have the custom to invite relatives and friends to join them
after the meal, to mark the occasion with food, drink and song. It
is customary to serve chickpeas and round lentils, signs of fertility
and of the cycle of life. Often the grandparents of the newborn organize
this celebration, since the parents themselves are still in the hospital
or recovering from the birth.
Tikun
Eliyahu:
On the night before the brit, some people have the custom
to have 'a night of watching' – that is of study beside the
baby's crib. This custom, called 'Tikun Eliyahu', is based
on the idea that since the life of the newborn is in danger until
after his brit milah, he shouldn't be left unattended. Some
traditions bring young children to recite 'Shema' by the
baby's bedside.