Q: Is there a preferable time for a Bris to take place?
A: The Bris of a healthy baby is undertaken on the eighth day of life (counting the day of birth). This is so even if the eighth day falls on Shabbos, Yom Kippur or any other Jewish festival. However, in the case of a baby born by Caesarean section, the Bris is not performed on Shabbos or on a festival, but on the day following. Bris Milah may not be performed before the eighth day or at night. In the event that a baby is not in perfect health, even if not seriously ill, the Bris is delayed until the baby is considered as recovered. A common example of this situation is newborn jaundice. However, in the case of serious illness, a delay of one week following full recovery is required.

Q: Why should parents want or need to use a Mohel to perform a Bris?
A: Traditionally, the parents engage a mohel to perform the Bris. A mohel is a person who is trained in the medical and surgical techniques of circumcision. In addition to being an expert in his field, the mohel is also knowledgeable in the religious laws pertaining to Bris Milah. A doctor’s medical circumcision does not fulfill the requirements of a Bris Milah and is not considered valid according to Jewish law. The Bris must be performed by a Jewish person who understands, upholds and practices the tenets of the Jewish religion and is trained to function as a mohel. It is important to choose a Mohel with whom you feel comfortable, someone who will be accommodating to the specific needs of the family. Another reason to use a mohel is to guarantee that the technique used to perform the Bris is acceptable in Jewish law and not the standard procedure used in hospitals.

Q: Does the Bris have to be done in a Synagogue?
A: A Bris does not have to be done at a Synagogue. Families have the Bris performed wherever it is most comfortable for them, usually at their home.

Q: What happens in the ceremony?
A:. The Bris ceremony is a very special occasion and is accompanied by rejoicing. There are several honors to be conferred during the ceremony, usually bestowed upon the relatives and close friends of the baby’s family. The number of honors can always be minimized or maximized in order to include every relative or friend that needs to be included.: A married couple known as the ‘kvater and kvaterin’ enter with the baby and he is placed on a chair designated as the Chair of Elijah. The baby is then placed upon the lap of the Sandek (often a grandfather) who holds the baby during the circumcision procedure. After the appropriate blessing is recited, the circumcision is performed by the mohel. Immediately following the Bris, another blessing is said over a cup of wine, and the baby receives his official Hebrew name, which he will proudly carry throughout his life. The newborn child is often named after departed relatives, a symbolic source of continued life for those no longer with us. The ceremony ends with the resounding wish of Mazel Tov! followed by the serving of refreshments or a light meal. The entire ceremony lasts approximately 25minutes.

Q: Can you clarify the baby naming part? We need some assistance in choosing our baby’s Hebrew name.
A: More often than not, the baby is named for a departed relative, in which case the simplest way to go is to determine what the Hebrew name of the relative was. If the name is not known, parents can choose any Hebrew name, Biblical or contemporary. Biblical names are easy since virtually all have a Hebrew source (i.e. Jacob-Yaakov, Samuel – Shmuel) but the English and Hebrew name need not correspond. What about naming our son after a woman? Some female names have a direct male counterpart (i.e. Chaya – Chaim, Tzivya – Tzvi, Malka – Melech. It is also quite common for parents to choose a Hebrew name for a boy or girl which could reflect meaning of the English name.

Q: When do I call to schedule a Bris?
A: Unless you have a question or concern, you do not need to contact the mohel until a few days after the child is born. Any calls received Friday night or Saturday, will be returned Saturday night approximately one our after sundown. The mohel will schedule the bris and a convenient time to come meet with the parents either in the hospital or at home to discuss and plan the ceremony.

Q: How is the eighth day determined?
A The day of birth is counted as the first day. Jewish days begin and end at sunset. For example, a baby born on a Sunday will have his Bris the following Sunday. A baby born on Sunday night after sunset will have his Bris the following Monday. A baby born by caesarian section on Friday night or Saturday will have his Bris the following Sunday. A baby born by caesarian section where the Bris coincides the following week with a jewish festival will have his Bris on the next available weekday. A Bris must be performed during daylight hours. A Bris performed at night or before the eighth day is not valid.

Q: Does a Bris require a minyan present?
A: It is nice to have a minyan at the Bris, but it is not required.

Q: Do I have to appoint Godparents?
A No. The term Godparents alludes to legal guardians and it is not necessary to have this determined prior to the bris. Although the terms Kvater and Kvaterin (the individuals who carry the baby into the bris room) are often translated as Godfather and Godmother, there is no concept of Godparents in Judaism and those given this honor have no legal responsibility.

Q: What happens if I am having twins?
A If you are having a boy and girl, we can have a Bris and Baby Naming at the same time. The Bris is followed by the Baby Naming. If you are having twin boys, the older would go first followed by his baby brother.

Q: How much pain does a baby feel?
A This is the most important and most frequently asked question of me. a mohel is generally judged in three areas: 1. The baby’s comfort during and after the circumcision; 2. The ceremony; and 3. The Pediatrician’s evaluation of the circumcision. Many studies have been performed to try to ascertain how much pain the baby feels. I A study took place that measured the difference in the baby’s discomfort level when the hospital/doctor was used vs. the technique a kosher Mohel uses. The results were startling. There were signs of minimal discomfort with our technique and severe discomfort with the standard medical techniques. This is because the Mohel is a specialist, an expert at his profession. An active Mohel will possess much more experience than most doctors. A doctor will strap the baby down on a molded plastic body board placed on a table, use a very painful clamp (Plasti-bell or GOMCO) and the procedure may take up to twenty minutes or longer, depending on the ability of the individual doing the circumcision. The approach a mohel uses is to place the baby on a pillow and not strap him down. The instrument I use to perform the circumcision is not the same instrument used by a doctor. It is much more efficient with better results. Most importantly, a procedure should never take more than 30 seconds. There are topical creams, ointments and penile blocks that are available. As a Mohel with the technical expertise to perform adult circumcisions, as well as infants, I am able to use them but they all have some drawbacks on a newborn that far out weigh any benefit. I do use a special numbing agent following the Bris. There are also varieties of non-pharmacological interventions that may be used very effectively, alone or in conjunction with the other approaches for treatment of procedural pain in neonates. It is the mohel’s goal to provide the most effective pain management for your baby.

Q: What if I am not Jewish and want a holistic circumcision for my baby?
A: This can be arranged.