Brit Milah – The Reason Why
The mitzvah of Brit Milah, the circumcision of every Jewish baby boy, is one of the cornerstones of our faith. The commandment was first given to Abraham in Genesis 17, where he was told, “every male among you shall be circumcised…and it shall be a sign of a covenant”. Essentially, the brit milah is an outward physical sign of the everlasting connection between God and the Jewish people. Of course, this begs the question of why God did not simply create man already circumcised. The answer encapsulates a lesson that might serve us all well for life – circumcision teaches us that just as a human being has the power to perfect the physical aspects of his body, so too is it within human ability to perfect the soul through spiritual correction.
Although Abraham was 99 years old when he fulfilled God’s commandment, his son Isaac was the first baby to have a brit milah at the age of eight days. Nowadays, circumcision is always performed on the eighth day of a child’s life. One reason for this is that Shabbat, the seventh day of creation, represents the unity of God with His universe. The eighth day goes beyond nature and represents a metaphysical connection with God. Nevertheless, if a baby is too weak or jaundiced to be subjected to the procedure at eight days old, it is delayed and the mitzvah is performed as soon as the mohel has given the OK. But a postponed brit never takes place on a Shabbat or Yom Tov.
Should a child reach adulthood without being circumcised, the obligation to get it done now falls squarely on his shoulders. Until then, the mitzvah is binding on his father. Ideally a father should actually perform the circumcision on his own son – although fortunately he is allowed to delegate the mitzvah if he’s not up to the job. It is also important to note that a purely medical, as opposed to ritual, circumcision will not do the job. The term Brit Milah carries the precise meaning of “covenantal circumcision”, meaning that it must be performed with the specific intention of forging a blood pact between God and the Jewish people.
In recent years, circumcision has become something of a controversial issue in society. From a scientific point of view, there are many arguments in its favour – the risk of complication is extremely low and it is associated with a lower incidence of certain kinds of cancer. But for the Jewish community, the debate should be an irrelevant one. The mitzvah of Brit Milah is Torah-given; and a sign of the perpetuation of the Jewish people for all time.
The Ceremony
The Brit Milah is often held in the presence of a minyan but in cases where this is difficult it is not strictly necessary. The service itself can take place in a synagogue or in a private home.
When the day of the brit dawns, the ceremony should be scheduled to take place as early as possible, usually straight after morning services, to indicate the parents’ eagerness to perform the mitzvah. However, if holding the ceremony in the afternoon will accord it with greater honour – for example if the Rabbi or grandparents can’t make it until then – it can be postponed until later in the day, before sunset.
Once everything is prepared, the service begins wit the baby’s mother passing the little one to the kvaterin (godmother). Often, the baby is carried along on top of a special satin, or embroidered white pillow. The kvaterin then passes the baby to her husband, the kvater (godfather), who carries him into the room where the brit is to take place.
Here, two chairs will have been set out in preparation. The first one is for the sandek, who holds the baby on his knees during the circumcision. This is considered to be the highest honour accorded at the ceremony. Consequently, the job is usually reserved the new grandfather or an important Rabbi.
The second chair is known as the kisei shel Eliyahu (Elijah’s chair). According to tradition, the prophet Elijah comes to every circumcision to testify to the commitment of the Jewish people to this great mitzvah.
After the mohel has made the bracha and performed the brit and the father has responded with the bracha appertaining to him, two more blessings are recited over a cup of wine and the baby is given his Hebrew name.
Finally, a seudat mitzvah is served. The usual custom at such festive meals is to serve meat, but given that roast chicken doesn’t go down too well as a breakfast dish, fish and other dairy delicacies can be served instead.
For the full service see pages 779 – 784 in the Singers Prayer Book or pages 208 – 215 in the Artscroll Siddur.
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