Don't worry.
It's not what you think.
At least not here.
I don't put pictures of brisses - before or after - for a variety of reasons, most of which you can probably imagine. But as it is helpful to know what you will be seeing, I am happy to share with you a link of a pdf, put together by Dr. David Bolnick, Mohel, which contains one picture of a pre-bris penis, and 4 pictures of the healing process over a few weeks' time.
Here is the link. The photos are on page 16.
http://brismilah.com/bris.pdf
The swelling, as you can see, can get pretty ugly. It is not always that extreme, and, in some cases, if much of the membrane is removed in the process, most of that swelling will not be present.
Every baby is different, and every bris has a different outcome. Hopefully it all works out the same in the end for everyone!
[So use a marker!!!!!]
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Is Metzitzah Right For You?
Before the year 2000, metzitzah was a practice only people in the observant community knew about. When stories came out about babies contracting herpes after a bris, including some babies who died from the virus, metzitzah became a household word, and knowledge of the practice (even among those who couldn't recall the word) became a matter of concern.
What is metzitzah?
Metzitzah is understood to be the act of drawing blood "from distant places" out of the circumcision wound immediately after the removal of the foreskin. The word itself has many possible translations. Of course, technically any drawing of blood can be done with a gauze pad or sponge, or through a tube (such as is done when blood is taken for a blood test or for a blood bank), or, as is the "traditional" way through vacuum-suction as created by the power of the mouth. In this latter formula, there are two ways this has been done: a. through the medium of a straw, sterilized pipette, or inverted syringe, or b. through direct oral contact of the mouth. See both methods in this video (link is to youtube)
Is Metzitzah Necessary
There is no question that while the Talmud lists metzitzah as one of three steps of a traditional circumcision, that the practice of drawing out blood reflects the medical knowledge of the time, and that any vestige of metzitzah is a nod to an ancient tradition.
However, as we don't take medical advice from the Talmud some of the great rabbis of today and yesteryear suggested that metzitzah in any form is unnecessary מעיקר הדין, as an absolute obligation (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Herschel Schachter). Certainly there is no justification for putting a mouth on an open wound, knowing what we know of today in terms of hygiene and bacteria.
If Unnecessary, Why Do It?
Since the Talmud says to do it, many traditional mohels will still do metzitzah via the alternative method which does not put the baby (or the mohel!) in danger. It fulfills tradition without any harm as the only things touching the baby are sterilized in the same machine as the surgical instruments.
I always do metzizah with a sterile pipette. Of late, when families specifically request "no metzitzah" I have been ready to accomodate them in light of the teaching of Rabbis Soloveitchik and Schachter.
For more on Metzitzah, see the Metzitzah Page
Monday, February 15, 2016
"So, why should I choose to hire you as my son's mohel?"
Time to repost what makes the MohelBillet experience unique!
Here are links to two of the times I've answered this question (in different ways)
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2011/07/what-makes-you-different.html
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2014/10/the-sensitivity-factor.html
Here are links to two of the times I've answered this question (in different ways)
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2011/07/what-makes-you-different.html
http://www.mohelinsouthflorida.com/2014/10/the-sensitivity-factor.html
Safety Precautions - What you need to know...
...and what you need to insist your mohel does!
Circumcision is a relatively easy procedure, with minimal risk to a baby when done under the following conditions:
1. Baby is 100% healthy.
2. Operator is skilled at his work
3. Sterile conditions are maintained
4. The proper amount of foreskin is removed.
5. Bandaging is done well - minimizing loss of blood
Any mohel who is not careful about #1 is not fit to be a mohel.
Any mohel with a good reputation plus experience is surely good for #2.
Unfortunately, the last three are never a guarantee, unless the mohel takes certain precautions and has a good track record.
With regard to sterility
Mohel should wear gloves when operating. Period. End of story. I wear gloves, of course. But you will be surprised how often this is not a given, and something you cannot take for granted.
Maintaining Sterility brings honor to this mitzvah. Living in the Middle Ages does not.
The highest standards of sterilizing instruments is in a sterilizing oven or autoclave machine, and not through cold sterilization. And trying to mimic an operating room as best as possible.
Surgical Instruments should be laid out on a sterile drape - not on a laundered diaper cloth (amongst other suggestions)
Metzitzah - will be the subject of the next blog post. Though here is a link to the Metzitzah page
Proper amount of foreskin removed
There is no room for mohel-arrogance when it comes to your baby's penis
Mohel should use a surgical pen to mark where the edge of the foreskin is (and he should follow his estimation) [Here's a horrible story that was completely avoidable which a nurse told me about a bris she attended]
Taking off too much skin is harmful for the baby in the long-term
Leaving baby bleeding
There is never any excuse for this. I would rather take as much time as necessary to make sure baby is fine than have a parent call me saying "the diaper was all bloody!" I find myself sometimes saying to parents, after my immediate post-bris check-up, "Your baby is fine - everything is great! I apologize only for the amount of time it took for him to clot."
Circumcision is a relatively easy procedure, with minimal risk to a baby when done under the following conditions:
1. Baby is 100% healthy.
2. Operator is skilled at his work
3. Sterile conditions are maintained
4. The proper amount of foreskin is removed.
5. Bandaging is done well - minimizing loss of blood
Any mohel who is not careful about #1 is not fit to be a mohel.
Any mohel with a good reputation plus experience is surely good for #2.
Unfortunately, the last three are never a guarantee, unless the mohel takes certain precautions and has a good track record.
With regard to sterility
Mohel should wear gloves when operating. Period. End of story. I wear gloves, of course. But you will be surprised how often this is not a given, and something you cannot take for granted.
Maintaining Sterility brings honor to this mitzvah. Living in the Middle Ages does not.
The highest standards of sterilizing instruments is in a sterilizing oven or autoclave machine, and not through cold sterilization. And trying to mimic an operating room as best as possible.
Surgical Instruments should be laid out on a sterile drape - not on a laundered diaper cloth (amongst other suggestions)
Metzitzah - will be the subject of the next blog post. Though here is a link to the Metzitzah page
Proper amount of foreskin removed
There is no room for mohel-arrogance when it comes to your baby's penis
Mohel should use a surgical pen to mark where the edge of the foreskin is (and he should follow his estimation) [Here's a horrible story that was completely avoidable which a nurse told me about a bris she attended]
Taking off too much skin is harmful for the baby in the long-term
Leaving baby bleeding
There is never any excuse for this. I would rather take as much time as necessary to make sure baby is fine than have a parent call me saying "the diaper was all bloody!" I find myself sometimes saying to parents, after my immediate post-bris check-up, "Your baby is fine - everything is great! I apologize only for the amount of time it took for him to clot."
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Knowing What Circumcision Is
Hopefully, anyone who is hiring a mohel understands that the act of Bris Milah includes a circumcision, and a circumcision is a surgical procedure in which the foreskin is removed.
I don't post pictures on my blog of the before and after. But you can get a decent idea of the difference between how things look from this illustration. (*Graphic* but in a medical textbook sort of way)
While that illustration is nice and perfect, there is a healing process that every baby goes through after the circumcision. Here is my description of how things look before and afterwards.
These are the Methods of Circumcision that are generally utilized by mohels
Understanding the difference between a Clamp v Shield (shield method is more traditional)
And among the reasons why I don't recommend a clamp
Friday, February 5, 2016
Streamlining the Blog
There are two purposes for this blog:
1. It serves as my website as a mohel.
2. To provide information for the community of Jews who are researching Bris Milah on the Internet.
According to Blogger's count of these things, here is the current pageview stats from around the world - beyond the United States (which dwarfs the others) - over the last six years.
So, as #2 is purpose has a mind of its own (thank you Internet), I'm going to try to bring things together in a more orderly fashion over the next few blog posts - essentially making the equivalent of pages dedicated to specific areas. Instead of rewriting the blog (always an interesting option!), I'll be putting together posts that are Tables of Contents for the areas of interest that have been raised thus far. Some of the "pages" which are linked at the top already do this. But it will provide more of a sense of order than the way the blog is currently structured.
1. It serves as my website as a mohel.
2. To provide information for the community of Jews who are researching Bris Milah on the Internet.
According to Blogger's count of these things, here is the current pageview stats from around the world - beyond the United States (which dwarfs the others) - over the last six years.
So, as #2 is purpose has a mind of its own (thank you Internet), I'm going to try to bring things together in a more orderly fashion over the next few blog posts - essentially making the equivalent of pages dedicated to specific areas. Instead of rewriting the blog (always an interesting option!), I'll be putting together posts that are Tables of Contents for the areas of interest that have been raised thus far. Some of the "pages" which are linked at the top already do this. But it will provide more of a sense of order than the way the blog is currently structured.
Should be fun!
We'll start with the most popular blog posts of all time:
Monday, January 18, 2016
No Tachanun - a so-called Perk of being a mohel
Anyone who grew up going to a shul where a mohel was in regular attendance recalls saying tachanun infrequently, in particular if the man was a busy mohel. Some mohels had a "siman" (indicator sign) that if he was wearing a tie in the morning, it meant he had a bris.
We can well understand why if a bris is taking place right after davening, Tachanun, a prayer of supplication, would be omitted. Everyone feels the joy of the morning, everyone participates in the simcha, there is no room for a prayer such as tachanun.
But sometimes the baby is not present, and the bris is not taking place immediately after davening, and sometimes it won't even take place in the same building, and in even some cases, noone from the family is present. So how could Tachanun be cancelled in these cases?
Please note that the definition of "Baal Bris" includes the baby's father, the sandak, and the mohel.
Here is my translation of the Shulchan Arukh and some of its commentaries on this subject.
Orach Chaim 131:4
“There is a practice not to fall on the face (e.g. say tachanun) in the synagogue on the day of a bris… Rama’s gloss: This is specifically if the bris will be in that synagogue. But if the bris will not be in that synagogue, even though it will take place in a different synagogue, then Tachanun is recited… Omitting Tachanun on the day of a bris is only relevant for Shacharis, because then [shortly afterwards] the baby is circumcised. But for Mincha, even when praying with/ in the presence of the newly-circumcised baby, tachanun would be said.”
Ta”z (Turei Zahav)
Quoting his father in law, he notes that the rule about skipping Tachanun only applies to Shacharis, and not to Mincha. And, the Mincha which is required to have Tachanun is the mincha which takes place where the baby is not. However, if the baby is there, there is no tachanun at Mincha. This was also the view of R Shlomo Luria. It is the practice in Brisk, in Lithuania, and thus one should be lenient since tachanun is optional… This was also the custom in Krakow.
Shaarei Teshuvah 131:10
Quotes the Eishel Avraham… that when the father is away, even if the circumcision will not be in the synagogue, since relatives are going to pray in the synagogue, there would not be tachanun. See also “Beer Yaakov” who says there are places where the custom is that when there’s a bris in the shul, where most of the city’s inhabitants pray, and it is the “elder” synagogue in town, then no other synagogue in town need say tachanun, as long as they are davening at the same time as the bris-minyan. Same is true for an individual davening alone at home
Mishneh Brurah 131
21. Since the bal simcha was at davening, the simcha is shared with everyone and tachanun is cancelled.
22. Tachanun is not said in the synagogue on the day of the bris. Meaning, in the actual synagogue where the bris will take place, even if the baalei simcha aren’t davening there. The Acharonim wrote that if the baalei bris are davening there, i.e. the father, the sandak or the mohel [though not the kvatter], even if the bris takes place elsewhere, there is no tachanun in the minyan.
25. R Shlomo Luria, the BaCh and Taz all agree that when davening near the baby there is no tachanun. Eliyahu Raba decided that if they’re davening mincha in the baby’s house before the meal or DURING the meal, there is no tachanun. However, after bentching, they do say tachanun. The Chayei Adam wrote that this only applies when davening in the baby’s house. But once they’re davening somewhere else, even if they daven mincha BEFORE the meal and the Baal bris (father, sandak, mohel) is present, they should still say tachanun. Further, the baal bris himself (father, sandak, mohel) should not say tachanun at Mincha, even if it takes place after bentching, because it is his personal yomtov.
Beer Hetev
13 There is an implication that in the cold days (winter) whe brisses take place in the home, tachanun is said in shul. This requires further discussion. The “knesses hagdolah” wrote that the custom everywhere was that even if the bris was in the house tachanun wouild be skipped in shul if the baal bris davens there.
If the child is born without a foreskin, and hatafat dam is performed, there is no tachanun
We can well understand why if a bris is taking place right after davening, Tachanun, a prayer of supplication, would be omitted. Everyone feels the joy of the morning, everyone participates in the simcha, there is no room for a prayer such as tachanun.
But sometimes the baby is not present, and the bris is not taking place immediately after davening, and sometimes it won't even take place in the same building, and in even some cases, noone from the family is present. So how could Tachanun be cancelled in these cases?
Please note that the definition of "Baal Bris" includes the baby's father, the sandak, and the mohel.
Here is my translation of the Shulchan Arukh and some of its commentaries on this subject.
Orach Chaim 131:4
“There is a practice not to fall on the face (e.g. say tachanun) in the synagogue on the day of a bris… Rama’s gloss: This is specifically if the bris will be in that synagogue. But if the bris will not be in that synagogue, even though it will take place in a different synagogue, then Tachanun is recited… Omitting Tachanun on the day of a bris is only relevant for Shacharis, because then [shortly afterwards] the baby is circumcised. But for Mincha, even when praying with/ in the presence of the newly-circumcised baby, tachanun would be said.”
Ta”z (Turei Zahav)
Quoting his father in law, he notes that the rule about skipping Tachanun only applies to Shacharis, and not to Mincha. And, the Mincha which is required to have Tachanun is the mincha which takes place where the baby is not. However, if the baby is there, there is no tachanun at Mincha. This was also the view of R Shlomo Luria. It is the practice in Brisk, in Lithuania, and thus one should be lenient since tachanun is optional… This was also the custom in Krakow.
Shaarei Teshuvah 131:10
Quotes the Eishel Avraham… that when the father is away, even if the circumcision will not be in the synagogue, since relatives are going to pray in the synagogue, there would not be tachanun. See also “Beer Yaakov” who says there are places where the custom is that when there’s a bris in the shul, where most of the city’s inhabitants pray, and it is the “elder” synagogue in town, then no other synagogue in town need say tachanun, as long as they are davening at the same time as the bris-minyan. Same is true for an individual davening alone at home
Mishneh Brurah 131
21. Since the bal simcha was at davening, the simcha is shared with everyone and tachanun is cancelled.
22. Tachanun is not said in the synagogue on the day of the bris. Meaning, in the actual synagogue where the bris will take place, even if the baalei simcha aren’t davening there. The Acharonim wrote that if the baalei bris are davening there, i.e. the father, the sandak or the mohel [though not the kvatter], even if the bris takes place elsewhere, there is no tachanun in the minyan.
25. R Shlomo Luria, the BaCh and Taz all agree that when davening near the baby there is no tachanun. Eliyahu Raba decided that if they’re davening mincha in the baby’s house before the meal or DURING the meal, there is no tachanun. However, after bentching, they do say tachanun. The Chayei Adam wrote that this only applies when davening in the baby’s house. But once they’re davening somewhere else, even if they daven mincha BEFORE the meal and the Baal bris (father, sandak, mohel) is present, they should still say tachanun. Further, the baal bris himself (father, sandak, mohel) should not say tachanun at Mincha, even if it takes place after bentching, because it is his personal yomtov.
Beer Hetev
13 There is an implication that in the cold days (winter) whe brisses take place in the home, tachanun is said in shul. This requires further discussion. The “knesses hagdolah” wrote that the custom everywhere was that even if the bris was in the house tachanun wouild be skipped in shul if the baal bris davens there.
If the child is born without a foreskin, and hatafat dam is performed, there is no tachanun
Monday, January 4, 2016
The first Bris of 2016 - Amazing Event
To describe the backstory of this family would be an injustice to their experiences that brought them to this point. But the public story is certainly one which is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of, so here it is.
Picture a baby being born at 26 weeks (or thereabouts), and having all kinds of understandable problems. Being cared for 24/7 in a hospital. A 40 minute drive (with good traffic) from his parents, and they having limited access to him, not being able to hold him for the first month of his life.
He spent 101 days in the NICU before coming home, and bringing some light to his family on Chanukah!
It still took a few weeks for him to be ready, for him to get the green light from the doctors, and for his overall well-being to be ascertained before going ahead with the bris. As a rule, we do not perform the bris on babies who are not medically considered to be 100% healthy.
While it's not uncommon for a newborn to weigh over 8 pounds, for this baby who was born weighing around 2 pounds, seeing him in his gargantuan 8 plus pounds made for quite an impression! His mother told me he is the biggest baby they've brought home from the hospital - this is, Baruch HaShem, baby #4!
It was not a big crowd - that is not the family's style. But it was a gathering of meaningful friends, and, of course, people who have been with this family every step of the way, praying for them, being there for them, extending a loving hand, and just helping them not feel alone. It was very special to be a part of this simcha - as guest and friend, and also, in my case, as the mohel!
We here at mohelinsouthflorida.com wish Asher Chaim all the very best! We wish his mother, his father, his brother and his two sisters, only good times and loads and loads of smiles with their new son and brother. And for Asher Chaim, let his healing from the bris be the last healing he should have to undergo for a long time, as we hope for him to have a life of good health and minimal need for doctors!
Picture a baby being born at 26 weeks (or thereabouts), and having all kinds of understandable problems. Being cared for 24/7 in a hospital. A 40 minute drive (with good traffic) from his parents, and they having limited access to him, not being able to hold him for the first month of his life.
He spent 101 days in the NICU before coming home, and bringing some light to his family on Chanukah!
It still took a few weeks for him to be ready, for him to get the green light from the doctors, and for his overall well-being to be ascertained before going ahead with the bris. As a rule, we do not perform the bris on babies who are not medically considered to be 100% healthy.
While it's not uncommon for a newborn to weigh over 8 pounds, for this baby who was born weighing around 2 pounds, seeing him in his gargantuan 8 plus pounds made for quite an impression! His mother told me he is the biggest baby they've brought home from the hospital - this is, Baruch HaShem, baby #4!
It was not a big crowd - that is not the family's style. But it was a gathering of meaningful friends, and, of course, people who have been with this family every step of the way, praying for them, being there for them, extending a loving hand, and just helping them not feel alone. It was very special to be a part of this simcha - as guest and friend, and also, in my case, as the mohel!
We here at mohelinsouthflorida.com wish Asher Chaim all the very best! We wish his mother, his father, his brother and his two sisters, only good times and loads and loads of smiles with their new son and brother. And for Asher Chaim, let his healing from the bris be the last healing he should have to undergo for a long time, as we hope for him to have a life of good health and minimal need for doctors!
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Being an Uncircumcised Jew
I recently met a Jew who was born and lived most of his adult life in Russia, before coming to the United States when he was almost a senior citizen. He is now close to 80.
At the time of his birth, the Russian Jews were no longer circumcising their sons, and while he has children who are observant, he feels he is too old to undergo circumcision.
With hints - though it was quite clear what he was asking - he wondered if he can be buried in a Jewish cemetery if he finishes his life (and he should live for a long time!) uncircumcised.
Simply put, the answer is embedded in this essay about what happens when a child dies before being circumcised. We would take care of it for him before burial.
[While the answer is simple, the circumstance is not. Many anti-circumcision activists use the argument that a male "Jew is still a Jew even if he is uncircumcised, therefore we should not be circumcising our children without their consent." This man is certainly a Jew, but he wants to be circumcised. He is only hesitant due to his age. (I didn't raise the "Abraham was 99 at his circumcision" argument) While it is true that a Jewish male is a Jew regardless of circumcision, there is another element to his Judaism which remains in limbo, and that is his obligation to circumcise to avoid the status of receiving "karet" at the time of death. Which is why we would take care of it for him when he dies, no matter what. Now, of course, one can question the need to do this after death, after all, who cares? But if one takes Judaism seriously, one takes the concept of "karet" seriously, and understands that this is a consequence/result that one would prefer to avoid. The law is very clear that first the father has the responsibility to take care of it for his child, then the Bet Din (Rabbinic court) has the responsibility if the father is either absent or derelict of his responsibilities, and if Bet Din doesn't take care of it, the young man is responsible for his lack of circumcision until the day he dies (hopefully as a very old man). At which point, the Chevra Kadisha (burial society) takes care of it for him. A Jew he is, but remember that Abraham was not considered "complete (or perfect) before God" until he was circumcised. See Genesis 17:1]
At the time of his birth, the Russian Jews were no longer circumcising their sons, and while he has children who are observant, he feels he is too old to undergo circumcision.
With hints - though it was quite clear what he was asking - he wondered if he can be buried in a Jewish cemetery if he finishes his life (and he should live for a long time!) uncircumcised.
Simply put, the answer is embedded in this essay about what happens when a child dies before being circumcised. We would take care of it for him before burial.
[While the answer is simple, the circumstance is not. Many anti-circumcision activists use the argument that a male "Jew is still a Jew even if he is uncircumcised, therefore we should not be circumcising our children without their consent." This man is certainly a Jew, but he wants to be circumcised. He is only hesitant due to his age. (I didn't raise the "Abraham was 99 at his circumcision" argument) While it is true that a Jewish male is a Jew regardless of circumcision, there is another element to his Judaism which remains in limbo, and that is his obligation to circumcise to avoid the status of receiving "karet" at the time of death. Which is why we would take care of it for him when he dies, no matter what. Now, of course, one can question the need to do this after death, after all, who cares? But if one takes Judaism seriously, one takes the concept of "karet" seriously, and understands that this is a consequence/result that one would prefer to avoid. The law is very clear that first the father has the responsibility to take care of it for his child, then the Bet Din (Rabbinic court) has the responsibility if the father is either absent or derelict of his responsibilities, and if Bet Din doesn't take care of it, the young man is responsible for his lack of circumcision until the day he dies (hopefully as a very old man). At which point, the Chevra Kadisha (burial society) takes care of it for him. A Jew he is, but remember that Abraham was not considered "complete (or perfect) before God" until he was circumcised. See Genesis 17:1]
Thursday, December 3, 2015
"The Process" a.k.a. "The Procedure"
I often get calls months in advance of the baby's birth, from parents who "like to plan ahead" who are asking what is the procedure for arranging for a bris.
All mohels operate on what is in the real world a tight schedule, while in the mohel world is called "plenty of time." (Caterers for brisses also operate this way)
What do I mean? The nature of the world of bris milah is that there is - in most cases - only a week to prepare for the bris. So if your baby was already born (as in, earlier today) and you haven't called the mohel yet, DON'T WORRY! Anyone else who just had a baby has probably not called him either. You do want to call sooner than later, but don't be concerned that you didn't book him before the baby was born. The mohel expects that any bris-call is for a bris that is a week away or less than a week away. [I have received calls from people asking if I'd be available "tomorrow," but most people are a little more organized than that. In defense of some people who called at that later hour, their first mohel canceled on them last-minute, so they found themselves frantically looking for someone to cover.]
So here is the process, for anyone who is at the stage of pre-birth, whether 3, 4 5... or even 9.5 months into pregnancy.
Call the mohel to interview him
You can do this at any time before the baby is born. It is a good idea to get acquainted, or even to meet, if possible.
Call the mohel to book him
As soon as possible after the baby is born
All mohels operate on what is in the real world a tight schedule, while in the mohel world is called "plenty of time." (Caterers for brisses also operate this way)
What do I mean? The nature of the world of bris milah is that there is - in most cases - only a week to prepare for the bris. So if your baby was already born (as in, earlier today) and you haven't called the mohel yet, DON'T WORRY! Anyone else who just had a baby has probably not called him either. You do want to call sooner than later, but don't be concerned that you didn't book him before the baby was born. The mohel expects that any bris-call is for a bris that is a week away or less than a week away. [I have received calls from people asking if I'd be available "tomorrow," but most people are a little more organized than that. In defense of some people who called at that later hour, their first mohel canceled on them last-minute, so they found themselves frantically looking for someone to cover.]
So here is the process, for anyone who is at the stage of pre-birth, whether 3, 4 5... or even 9.5 months into pregnancy.
Call the mohel to interview him
You can do this at any time before the baby is born. It is a good idea to get acquainted, or even to meet, if possible.
Call the mohel to book him
As soon as possible after the baby is born
And make sure no other family members are also booking a mohel
Organize your supplies
This should be done anytime before the bris. Some people even do this before the baby is born, before things get super hectic. You can also order The Bris Bag if it makes your life a little easier. [This is an independent business who I recommend and support. I do not get any referral fees - their prices cover costs, shipping and reasonable profit.]
Figure out the baby's Hebrew name
My joke to people is that you should write it down on a paper when you figure it out, five minutes before his bris. Some people have it easy, some people put a lot of thought into deciding a baby's name.
Assign a family member the job of getting a bris outfit (though you can pick anything - it doesn't matter)
A gown, open on the bottom is best. If not, snaps that completely open the bottom of the outfit are good. (Can both be rolled up over baby's arms) Buttons are hard to navigate with gloves on. Zippers and diagonal snaps that only go down one leg just make mohel's job more difficult.
And, NO, he does NOT need a kippah
Figure out your venue, your budget, and what kind of celebration you'd like to have
And where the mohel fits in your plans
After the Bris
You'll want to keep this page handy - Post Bris Care
And these links at your fingertips
What Things Will Look Like Afterwards
Long term Care Reminder
Chubby Baby Syndrome
BEST OF LUCK!!!
Organize your supplies
This should be done anytime before the bris. Some people even do this before the baby is born, before things get super hectic. You can also order The Bris Bag if it makes your life a little easier. [This is an independent business who I recommend and support. I do not get any referral fees - their prices cover costs, shipping and reasonable profit.]
Figure out the baby's Hebrew name
My joke to people is that you should write it down on a paper when you figure it out, five minutes before his bris. Some people have it easy, some people put a lot of thought into deciding a baby's name.
Assign a family member the job of getting a bris outfit (though you can pick anything - it doesn't matter)
A gown, open on the bottom is best. If not, snaps that completely open the bottom of the outfit are good. (Can both be rolled up over baby's arms) Buttons are hard to navigate with gloves on. Zippers and diagonal snaps that only go down one leg just make mohel's job more difficult.
And, NO, he does NOT need a kippah
Figure out your venue, your budget, and what kind of celebration you'd like to have
And where the mohel fits in your plans
After the Bris
You'll want to keep this page handy - Post Bris Care
And these links at your fingertips
What Things Will Look Like Afterwards
Long term Care Reminder
Chubby Baby Syndrome
BEST OF LUCK!!!
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