Vitamin K before circumcision? A Mohel's Perspective

 I am often asked if I will do a circumcision if the baby hasn't had a Vitamin K shot. [Hospitals tell parents different things, and not all parents want to give their child a vitamin K shot]

The answer is YES. And here is why.

More important and more complicated than the circumcision itself is the wound-care which follows. Circumcisions usually heal well, and while it sometimes takes a few weeks or even months for things to look "normal," none of that will happen if the baby's immediate post-op bleeding isn't tended to. Which is why a mohel's training spends much more time on bleed-control than on the mechanics of circumcision.

We have been circumcising our babies for THOUSANDS of years, and have developed excellent methods for wound-care, none of which ever took into consideration whether a baby had a Vitamin K shot.

Metzitzah with a tube - unsafe?

Over the last few months I've had a good number of phone calls from people looking for a mohel who "does not perform metzitzah." 

I have a whole page dedicated to Metzitzah, as it has been a controversial issue due to a few bad stories that have come out of New York in recent decades. Some argue that the stories were exaggerated and made far worse by the news outlets (they used shoddy evidence and jumped to conclusions without a real investigation), while some argued that the stories were absolutely 100% true.

Challenge of Content (and 1 million views)

 We are still here at mohelinsouthflorida.com

Posting here has taken a bit of a dive because (thank God) life is busy - with work as a mohel, work as a rabbi, and with family.  

Over the years, most of what I’ve wanted to say about Bris has been posted here, and I am grateful that in the close to 17 years of this website existing, the content has been seen across the globe and has been helpful to so many people. 

As of this moment we are around 40,000 hits shy of a million independent clicks (all-time) to see the content on this website.  

Repost XVII: Some of My Favorite Bris Stories

I can summarize the story or you can just see the title and click on which ever URL

http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2019/02/why-do-i-love-being-mohel-read-this.html

http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2019/05/who-cries-at-bris-it-depends.html

http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2024/06/a-few-random-items-with-one-common-theme.html

http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2021/02/fascinating-personal-stories.html

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)

Repost VI: Defining Terms of the Bris Ceremony

A little while back I wrote several mini articles defining some of the most common terms and phrases related to Bris.  This is different than the tools of the trade, which will be reposted soon.  

• Bris Milah

• Kibbudim

• Milah U'Priah

• Kisei Shel Eliyahu

• Bris (similar to Bris Milah)

• Milah and Mohel

• Baal Bris
• Metzitzah - This is a link to the Metzitzah page which covers this topic from top to bottom. The links which include videos are outdated as the videos have all been taken down from youtube (shock of shocks)

Repost V: Choosing Your Mohel

Mohels (religious ritual circumcisers) are trained in different ways, and may have different methods of circumcising and tending to the post-circ wound.

Training and experience lead to there being Different Kinds of Mohels

Here is a summary of the different ways most mohels might circumcise

Here are good questions to ask a Mohel (further research required to find the answers YOU WANT TO HEAR)   [And a summary of links made much earlier in the history of this blog]

Is cleanliness and sterility important to you?

It is important to pick a mohel who is confident in what he does, but also humble about what he does (don't look for someone who calls himself "the most authentic"), and honest about being human (while aiming for perfection!)

This was meant to be a guide for finding your son's Mohel

This provided a bunch of links and concerns you ought to consider and even VOICE in your finding the mohel best fit for your family

Repost IV: Preparing the Mind

In life, we often have dreams of what the "perfect" day will look like. The perfect wedding, the perfect vacation, the perfect Shabbos table, the perfect child, the perfect spouse. 

Reality tends to bite hard in most cases, as we discover that perfection is a lot harder to come by than we thought, hoped, and planned for.

And so it is with brisses. Whether the caterer forgets a detail, an important family member gets stuck in traffic, the mohel comes an hour late (something I work very hard to avoid doing, btw!), or even if the circumcision itself doesn't come out perfectly... we have to always hope and pray for the best, but prepare for imperfection to be the reality.

Repost III: Setting Up For the Bris

Just to make clear: This is not advice on how to set up the celebratory meal and/or buffet

The original post on this subject can be found here.

While the link above will suffice, just remember these few tips.

If there is a ceremony (as opposed to a very private affair), the bris should be in a prominent place in the room

There should be good lighting, so the mohel can see what he is doing!

Every mohel needs a table to lay out his supplies. It should be larger than a TV table. A card table or most folding tables are adequate.

There either need to be one or two chairs available - for the Chair of Elijah (Kisei Eliyahu). If the chairs available are barstool height, there should be some kind of stepstool available for the Sandak to put his legs so he can easily hold the baby. 

It is also very helpful for a private room to be designated or arranged (if in a venue outside of the home, where there is always a bedroom available) for the mohel to examine the baby beforehand and afterwards, particularly if he intends to check the bandage before leaving. 

Repost II: Planning the Bris Celebration Party (Budgeting tips as well)

You may or may not have been to a bris before. People have brisses in every kind of venue, from a synagogue to a JCC, a country club party room to a restaurant, a relative's (or friend's) house to the home of the baby.

Sometimes I joke that "I won't do a bris in a church" (even though I'm being serious, but it sounds funny).

There are a number of other celebrations that come with the birth of a boy - such as a Kiddush on Shabbos in Shul, a Shalom Zachar, or a Brit Yitzchak. Those are mentioned here

Now we will focus solely on the The Bris Itself 

The link above (two lines up) goes into detail, but here are a few things you'll want to consider.

How Elaborate? It's a matter of taste, size of guest list, and - of course - budget. 

Repost I: Planning in Advance

 Since this website is in blog form, unless people search for what they are looking for, some of the early blog posts don't get much attention - though that's where much of the important stuff is!

You can always go here for the most important info preparing you for the bris and the ceremony:

http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2015/01/the-basic-information-all-you-need-to.html

Over the coming weeks, I'll be posting things that have been written before, in a little bit more of an organized fashion, so newcomers can find things closer to the top of the blog roll.

FIRST TOPIC: PLANNING IN ADVANCE (this first appeared here, in the first blog post ever!):

It is edited from there to reflect things I've seen and experienced since this was first written. 

PLANNING AHEAD  <-- That link is to a similar discussion of this nature

 Sometimes it is helpful - BEFORE baby comes - to think things out, to decide who will do what once baby arrives. 

Purchases - Baby Supplies

     * Car Seat 

If you're going to have a hospital birth, you'll need a car seat for that ride home (with a home birth, you won't need one until you're ready to take the baby somewhere!).