Repost XVI: Naming the Baby

One topic that mohels sometimes get involved in is helping the new parents come up with a name for the baby. This happens most often with people who are not in the Orthodox community, who might be looking to choose a name they like (they just need help with options and the meanings of names), or who might be looking to match an English name they've chosen to a Hebrew name, either in its meaning, in how it sounds, or by finding a name that has a same-sounding first consonant or vowel. 

Many people name a child after a deceased relative (Ashkenazic community) or a living relative (Sefardic community). Others pick other criteria, especially if they feel the deceased have been adequately memorialized in the larger family. 

Who gets to choose the baby's name? The baby's parents. 

Repost XV: Unique Family Situations

 When a Jewish man marries a Jewish woman, they are most likely (and hopefully) aligned in their Jewish commitments. When she gives birth to a boy, they will schedule their son's bris. Sometimes the woman calls me, sometimes the man calls me. 

When there is any other arrangement of parents, things can get a little complicated.

Father is not Jewish

When the woman is Jewish and the man is not, Jewish law has declared that the baby's Jewishness is transferred through his mother. So while the case may not look the same as the first case described above, the baby's Jewishness is not subject to scrutiny. The ceremony will look a little different because the child does not have a Jewish father, but insofar as the child being considered Jewish, this is unquestionable and unchallenge-able. 

Here is where the topic of how to name the baby under that circumstance is raised. The particular question is relevant because we always name a Jewish child by his name 'ben' (son of) (his father's Jewish name). In this case, since the father is not Jewish and doesn't have a Jewish name, we would want the child to not seem different from others, so the options of how to name him are included here.

Father Not Present

While this is not necessarily a unique "family" situation, the absence of the father does raise a minor issue of who says the blessing the father usually says at the time of the Bris. You can read that discussion here

Mother Not Jewish

Repost XIV: Sterility and Cleanliness

In early 2018 I made a Table of Contents for the this website, creating several pages that could be accessed from the Main ToC. 

One of those pages covered Mohel Standards, which included several subsections covering sterility and cleanliness. Here is the link specific to sterility.

The first time I addressed this is one of the first pieces of content in this website, Cleanliness and Efficiency, with some common sense ticket items to look for when hiring a mohel. Of course, most mohels fit these criteria (thank God - if they didn't it's hard to imagine they'd still be invited to perform brisses), but some can certainly raise the bar. That said, arm yourself with questions based on what you find there!

Repost XIII: Divrei Torah About Bris and Some Halakhic Matters About Bris

All the Subjects appear in Font of this size, followed by links to a number of articles I've written on that subject. There are over a dozen categories here, so scroll down to find subjects of interest, and enjoy!!!

Audio Tutorials Page

quick classes on various Bris topics - links here will take you to YUTorah

Maimonides Part I and II 

Context Helps with response to those who are anti-circumcision, and who claim that Maimonides was as well (!). It is important to know what Maimonides actually wrote to counter those who use Maimonides for their agenda

Maimonides on Why We Circumcise, Part I

Maimonides On Why We Circumcise, Part II

Repost XII: Bris Customs for Brisses that Take Place on Special Calendar Days

 This was originally posted here:

SHABBOS
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2015/06/the-shabbos-bris.html

ROSH CHODESH
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2019/09/bris-on-rosh-chodesh.html 

FAST DAYS
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2014/12/when-bris-is-on-fast-day-tosafos.html 

Repost XI: Halakhic v Hashkafic Topics and Discussions

Defining What Are Halakhic Issues (actual Jewish law) v What Are Hashkafic Issues (approaches determined by a worldview, but not necessarily by Halakha)

An important follow up to the previous - addressing two particular points

TOC - Miscellaneous essays on a variety of subjects - A Table of Contents collection from a few years ago

Where shuls and rabbis could be either helpful or make the bris experience more challenging depending on standards they might want to set

Hashkafa Playing a Role in How we View Bris

What Bris Milah is All About

Repost X: Describing Tools of the Trade + Additional Thoughts on Some of Them

Following in the theme of the last few posts, this is a review of much of what I've written about the different surgical instruments and otherwise that are used for Bris Milah in our time. Above the line of asterisks are links to descriptions of each item and how it is used. Below the asterisks are expansions on some of the items, which are more "discussed" in some "Hashkafic" arenas surrounding Bris Milah  Though deeper "Hashkafic Dives" will be presented in the next "Repost"

This is presented in the order each item would be used

NUMBING

GLOVES             

MARKER              

PROBE 

Repost IX: Taking Care of Baby Post-Bris, Immediate and Longer Term

 This is part of a series in which I am reposting older material in a more organized fashion. This post is strictly about monitoring how the circumcision heals, and some issues which may come up down the road, specifically in the weeks which follow the circumcision, and sometimes even months later if the baby becomes particular fat in the thighs. This is not discussing any other issues of baby care.

After the bris, when my job is done (there is no longer a bandage on and the baby isn't bleeding), the parents' job of taking care of the healing circumcision kicks in. In simple terms, it is recommended to keep the area lubricated in the initial days following circumcision, while also protecting the circumcision from the bacteria associated with stool (aka 'poop.')

The post-Bris care page is most helpful for the immediate attention the baby needs

Repost VIII: What Happens in the Bris (Stages of Circumcision)

 The Bris (technically, the Milah = Circumcision) has a few stages that a Mohel must follow in order to produce a "Kosher Bris" and, hopefully a nice circumcision as well.

We have already "reposted" the methods of circumcision (2nd link shared on that page)

The day of the bris, the baby should stop eating a small time before the moment of circumcision, to avoid the possibility of his spitting up and choking will crying. 

People stand when the baby is brought in to the room

This basically describes the ceremony that everyone sees

This is what circumcision looks like (in words, no photos, except of a banana)

Repost VII: Timing and Delaying the Bris

Just about everyone knows that the Bris takes place on the 8th day of life. 

Not everyone knows that the first day of life counts as "Day 1," no matter what time of day it is, as long as it is before sunset. 

So, a baby born any time in the AM on Monday, until sunset on Monday, will have his bris the following Monday.  Born after sunset on Monday will have his bris the following Tuesday. (fill in any other day of the week for a similar equation... exception to follow)