The Inauthenticity of "Authenticity"

A mohel in NY called me recently because he was watching a bris on YouTube at which I was the mohel, and he had a comment about the timing of my putting on my gloves. His observation was duly noted, but I had to inform him that I wear two pairs of gloves, the top one protecting the lower pair in the moments leading up to the bris.

I find it much easier and quicker to take off a pair of gloves, rather than put them on, at the moment I am ready to begin.

Apparently my back was 'facing' the camera. He rewatched it and was able to discern, by the sound and the pause, that what I said was accurate. A few minutes later, he texted me that he "got it," and we shared a few tidbits about the trade.

Please understand - I was so appreciative of the phone call! Because here is a mohel who understands that sterility is no joke, and the appearance of sterility must meet with a reality of sterility.

So this was a breath of fresh air. Because the truth is, there is a world of mohels and their legitimizers who believe that the way that Abraham circumcised, and the way our ancestors in Europe circumcised, is the only authentic way to do it.

Whether they are against the use of the pipette for metzitzah, a hemostat for efficiency, a shield for protection of the glans (shudder!), gloves for sterility, or the highest standards of sterility that could be maintained outside of the Operating Room (because heaven forfend the bris koidesh should be viewed as surgery in any way - this is not a medical procedure! This is a mitzvah!), their vision of "maintaining authenticity" makes a mockery of medical advances, germ theories, and safety precautions that should be standard fare for every mohel who "operates" (yes, operates) on any child.

The truth is that the only authentic bris is the one that presents no inherent possibility of danger to the baby, beyond what the Torah obligates - that the foreskin be removed accompanied by the blood of the circumcision. Pain should be minimal, bleeding should be minimal, and risk of infection or damage should be NONEXISTENT.

This is authentic. This is living up to the tradition and covenant of Avraham Avinu.

The Mistakes Many Parents Make Before Their Son's Bris

I have met parents who had less than an A-1 experience with a mohel, who returned to have a similar experience a second time with their second son. Their reason? (usually one of three)
a. We heard you're not supposed to change mohels;
b. We only know one mohel;
c. We didn't want to hurt his feelings.
[I've also met quite a few parents who have told me, "You were our third mohel, and the only one we would call again, if we have another son."]

Is this about you and your baby? Or about the mohel? [Hint: IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MOHEL]

I want to make clear: If you had a positive experience with a mohel, you should absolutely return to him when you are blessed with another son. But if you didn't have such an experience, why would you want to?

So here it is: The Top Ten List : Mistakes Parents Make When Hiring a Mohel

Gloves

I happened to look at a website of a mohel who posts photographs of himself "in action." I don't know the man, so I will not comment about the need to demonstrate the play by play.

But I notice he is not wearing gloves on his hands when he does the circumcision.

And this really really really bothers me.

We live in the 21st century. We know all kinds of things about cleanliness, sterility, hygiene, blood, transferring disease, not touching an open wound with anything other than something which is objectively sterile.

Unless you blowtorch your hands (which I don't recommend), they will not be sterile. Clean? Perhaps, if you scrub long enough. Sanitized? With the right hand sanitizer, it's my word versus the company's word. Sterile? Not possible. We have fingernails! And cracks in our skin!

How any mohel can still operate without gloves on is beyond me. How he gets away with it is beyond my comprehension.

And the parent who does not even inquire, who does not ask "Will you please wear gloves?" Or "In what manner are you protecting my son from your hands?" does not really understand what is taking place here.

If you would allow a doctor to go without gloves when doing a procedure on you in which blood will be drawn, then I withdraw my comment. (Though I question your concern for yourself, and your doctor's concern for himself or herself). If you would allow a dentist to poke around in your mouth without wearing gloves, then I withdraw my comment. (Though I question how your dentist has not contracted some kind of dangerous disease.)

FOR THE SAKE OF JEWISH BABIES, PLEASE DISCOURAGE MOHELS FROM CIRCUMCIZING WITH THEIR BARE HANDS! INSIST THAT THEY WEAR GLOVES!