Sealing the Covenant by Deb Silvesrthorn TJP 2008

As a Mohel Rabbi David Shawel connects generations

By Deb Silverthorn
Texas Jewish Post March 6, 2008

The blessing that Rabbi David Shawel brings to this community, he considers an honor to him. More than 25 years and thousands of little boys later, Rabbi Shawel is still performing the mitzvah of Brit Milah, ritual circumcision.

"It's so clear to me that it was my destiny to have the privilage of becoming a mohel. This tradition is a link in our chain from generation to generation," said Rabbi Shawel, who has traveled to 19 states and to Israel to perform the mitzvah.

What is Bris Milah?

Bris Milah:

"G-d said to Abraham, 'And as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. At the age of eight days every male among you shall be circumcised, throughout your generations, he that is born in the household or purchased with money from any stranger who is not of your offspring. He that is born in your household or purchased with your money shall surely be circumcised. Thus, My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

An uncircumcised male who will not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin that soul shall be cut off from its people; he has invalidated My covenant."Bereishis (Genesis) 17:9-14. The covenant of circumcision, was commanded by G-d to Abraham over 3,700 years ago. It has been carried out faithfully, from generation to generation, even during times of religious and ethnic persecution when Jews were forced to practice their rituals in secret. In fact, the only time the Jewish people willingly desisted from this practice was during the 40 years of wandering in the Sinai wilderness. Before entering Canaan, every male was circumcised by Joshua.



The acceptance of this commandment established an eternal bond between G-d and the Children of Israel. Its observance today is testimony to the continuity and strength of that relationship which requires us to perform the mitzvah with adherence to the laws and customs prescribed in the Torah and interpreted by our sages. G-d appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old and commanded him to circumcise himself, his son, Yishmael, all the males of his household and all his slaves. It is said that Abraham accomplished this on the tenth day of the month of Tishrei, later designated as Yom Kippur, when the sins of the Jewish people were forgiven. The following year, when Isaac was born, he was circumcised on the eighth day. In return for his faithfulness, G-d promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation and inherit the land of Canaan for eternity. Today, Bris Milah has acquired a national identity, making its performance today as mandatory for the modern secularists of Israel as for the traditionally observant.

When to schedule a Bris

It is a mitzvah in itself to make the ceremony as beautiful and meaningful as possible. This is accomplished, in part, by careful attention to the details of carrying out the commandment, such as determining the day and choosing the time.

Because the Torah tells us that Abraham circumcised Isaac on the eighth day, we understand this literally to mean day. The Bris can be scheduled any time between sunrise and sunset. Since it is preferable to perform G-d's commandments eagerly and with alacrity, it is customary to schedule the Bris as early in the day as possible. The ceremony cannot be performed at night and is considered invalid if done so. If a baby is born during twilight prior to nightfall, specific laws apply, especially preceding Shabbos or a festival. I will determine the day, with rabbinic input, if necessary.

Various explanations are offered for the Torah's specification of the eighth day. There is a Midrash that teaches that G-d had pity on the child and waited until he had the physical strength to undergo the rite. (Devarim Rabbah 6:1) Also suggested is the fact that one Shabbos must pass between birth and the eighth day, providing the child with spiritual strength from his first Shabbos experience. Finally, classical medical studies have found coagulating factors to be at their peak around this time of life.

The day of birth counts as the first day. In Jewish tradition, the day begins with the preceding nightfall. Therefore, the child must be born before sundown for that day to be counted as the first. For example, if a baby is born on Monday during daylight hours, the Bris takes place on the following Monday. However, if the baby is born on Monday night, the Bris would take place the following Tuesday. A Bris performed before the eighth day is considered invalid.

An act which causes bleeding is forbidden on Shabbos. However, because the Torah declares the Bris Milah to be performed on the eighth day the Talmud interprets that the act in its proper time takes precedence provided the laws of Shabbos are upheld. There are rabbinic opinions which state that in instances where this cannot be guaranteed, it is preferable to postpone the ceremony to the following day. If you live within walking distance to me I will bring my instruments to your home on Friday. A Bris for the purpose of conversion or a Bris on a baby born by cesarean section may not take place on Shabbos or a major festival.

A Bris may not be performed on an ill child and must be postponed until he has fully recovered. The general rule is to schedule a Bris immediately upon recovery from a local disorder (one which affects a specific part of the body) but to wait seven 24-hour periods after recovery from a systemic disorder (one which affects the entire body). I will make the proper determination in consultation with your baby's pediatrician or neo-natologist.

Information about what you'll need for the Bris

Items needed before the Bris ceremony:

2-3 disposable diapers
Box of baby wipes
Kiddush cup with saucer or plate
25-30 3x3 sterile gauze pads
2 tubes of a triple antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or Bacitracin
Red sweet kosher wine with OU kosher certification preferably Carmel from Israel
Card table,
two nice chairs on each side of the table and ample lighting

Before the Bris:

Feed the baby around an hour before the Bris.If your pediatrician suggests, give baby Infant Tylenol after last feeding.Dress baby in an outfit that can be opened from the bottom, preferably an outfit with few snaps or buttons.Wrap baby in receiving blanket.

Honors you may bestow to your family or friends at the Bris

Kvaterin (couple / person who enters with baby)______________________________(If possible, I personally like to honor the (great) grandmothers first. You may have more than one couple / person. The last person places the baby on the Chair of Eliyahu.)

Kisei Shel Eliyahu (male(s) who places baby on Chair of Elijah)_________________________________________________________________(You may honor someone to take the baby from the Chair of Eliyahu. Then the father hands the baby to the Sandek.)

Sandek (This is the male who holds baby during bris.)__________________________________________________________________(If possible, I think it is appropriate to honor a (great) grandfather for this honor.)

Sandek Meumad (male who holds baby during the naming ceremony)_____________________________________________________________(Once again, if possible, the other grandfather holds the baby.)Babys Hebrew / English name will be ______________________________________Parents Hebrew /English names___________________________________________

Prayers you may incorporate into the ceremony

Honoree #1:May the newborn child be an auspicious sign, may he grow and develop like a flourishing garden, may he soar, succeed and be spared misfortune. Blessed are you, the community of my faithful, and blessed is he who comes in the name of Hashem.

Honoree #2:May the lot granted us be pleasant, and in his days may we ascend to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple, to the house of Hashem old and young. Blessed are you, the community of my faithful, and blessed is he who comes in the name of Hashem.

Honoree #3:Remember Your mercy and the covenantal blood, bear in mind Your sheep, the sheep of the remnant. Through the messiah may our enemies abate to nothingness. Please Hashem, send Eliyahu Hanavi. Blessed are you, the community of my faithful, and blessed is he who comes in the name of Hashem.

Honoree #4:This child has merited his bris milah, may his loving parents merit to bring him to the chupah, may the redeeming angel bless him, may he be worthy to behold the pleasantness of Hashem. Blessed are you, the community of my faithful, and blessed is he who comes in the name of Hashem

English prayer many parents read after the ceremony:

Master of the Universe, we thank You for the precious gift of new life, and for the blessing of parenthood, which allows us to share in the miracle of creation. Eternal Creator, we ask Your continued blessing. Grant our child length of days and vigor of body and mind. Endow us an understanding of love, that we may rear our son to manhood imbued with love of Torah and the performance of good deeds. May we be privileged to bring him to the chupah. Amen.

The Procedure

The mucous membrane, underlying membrane is probed away from the glans. I determine the amount of foreskin to be removed and place a shield in the correct place to protect the glans. The mucous membrane, priah and foreskin, orlah are cut with one sweep along the shield. Lastly, blood is drawn, metzitzah, a therapeutic prescription from the Talmudic period is performed. A sterile dressing with topical anesthetic is applied. When performed by a competent mohel the entire procedure, which flows as one continuous motion, takes less than a minute to perform. The excised foreskin is buried in the earth.

The Ceremony

The baby is brought into the room by the k'vater(in). Explanations are offered in honor of the Bris. The baby is placed in the chair of Elijah. The baby is then held in the lap of the sandek where the Bris is performed. Immediately before the circumcision is performed I recite my b'racha (blessing). After the Bris is performed the father recites his b'racha. If the father has difficulty reading Hebrew he may recite his b'racha verbatim with me. The translation of the father's b'racha is, Blessed are you, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham, our father. The baby is then held by the sandek me'umad. With kiddush cup in hand, I or another honored guest will recite the next two blessings. The first blessing is over the wine. The second blessing praises G-d, "who established the covenant with His people Israel." Finally a prayer for the welfare of the child is said during which his Hebrew name is formally announced. The child is then given a taste of wine.

After the Bris

Smear the triple antibiotic ointment within the middle area of the gauze pad and tent on penis with each diaper change. Continue doing this until you finish all 25-30 gauze pads. If you change the baby approximately every three hours you will finish the 25-30 gauze pads in three days. After 24 hours drizzle warm water over the bris area. Continue doing this 15-20 times. You may now remove the wrappings strips from off the bris area. Be careful not to rub or wipe penis. If the baby is uncomfortable, follow the instructions on Infant Tylenol after consulting with the pediatrician.Swelling or redness should go away in a few days. A light colored healing tissue may appear around the head of the penis. This should subside within a few days. The baby may be sponged bathed after the first day. If the belly button has fallen off the baby may be immersed in water on the sixth day.

If you have any concerns or questions, please call me anytime.

Special Kosher Mitzvah Meal

"Every Mitzvah that they accepted upon themselves with joy ... they still perform with joy." (Talmud, Shabbos 130a) Rashi interpreted this to mean that a festive kosher meal should be prepared. Included in this meal should be challah and kosher wine. It is customary not to issue a direct invitation to the ceremony, for one may not refuse to attend. To do so would be equal to turning down the opportunity do perform a mitzvah. At the conclusion of the meal, Birkas Hamazon, the grace after meals is recited with special blessings for the child, parents, sandek and mohel.

Naming

With the fulfillment of the commandment of milah, G-d changed Abram's name to Abraham, giving him a totally new persona to complement his new role as the "father of a great nation." For this reason, we name a baby boy at his Bris.

According to Jewish tradition, the name of a person describes his or her essence. It provides identity and generational connection. It begins the process of shaping a human being. A name influences the behavior of the person and provides a spiritual connection between the individual and their soul. It is important, therefore, to give much thought to your child's shem kodesh, sacred Hebrew name. The custom of Ashkenazik families, who trace their lineage back to Eastern European communities. is to name their children after meritorious individuals who are desceased in order to preserve their memories. Sefardik families, on the other hand, who trace their lineage back to Middle Eastern communities, may opt to name their children after individuals who are still among the living.

Traditionally baby girls are named in synagogue on a day when the Torah is read. Customarily this is done as soon as possible. Some parents wait until the mother is strong enough to be present so she can hear the prayer which is offered for her speedy and complete recovery and that of her child.

Special Consideration

Hatafas Dam Bris: When a child is born as if circumcised, or has been circumcised before the eighth day in a hospital, a ritual called hatafas dam Bris is required. This symbolic circumcision involves drawing a drop of blood from the Bris area of the penis. The child also is named at this time.

Conversion/Adoption: When both parents are Jewish, the child is Jewish. If only one parent is Jewish, the child's religion is determined by that of the birth mother. In the event the birth mother is not Jewish, the child must be converted if the parents want their child to be Jewish. For a boy, the first step in this process is Bris Milah, followed by immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath), usually at the age of one year. "Anyone who rears a child in his home is considered as though he/she had given birth to him." Talmud, Ketubbot 50a.

If a male child born of a non-Jewish mother is adopted by Jewish parents, he also must undergo conversion. The process is as described above. The adoptive parents assume responsibility for circumcision and mikveh as well as for the many other educational obligations which lead to the child's understanding and acceptance of Torah and mitzvos. An older child or adult male who wishes to convert to Judaism also must undergo circumcision, or hatafas dam Bris.

Customs

The three main participants, the father, mohel and sandek, wear a talis. In some communities it is the custom to have candles lit. No blessing is said prior to the candles being lit.A Shalom Zachor is held on the first Friday night after a boy is born, it is customary to celebrate by gathering in the home of the newborn to welcome him. "When a male comes into the world, peace comes into the world." Talmud, Nidarim 31b. G-d finished the creation of the world with the Sabbath and introduced peace and rest. Thus the Sabbath surrounds the newborn with an aura of holiness and enhances his entry into the Covenant of Abraham, our father. Pidyon Haben: The redemption of the first born son of a Jewish mother requires this ceremony. If the father or mother is a kohen or levi, the child is exempt. If the baby was delivered by cesarean section the child is exempt as well. The ceremony takes place on the 31st day of the child's life. If this day falls on Shabbos or a Yom Tov, the ceremony is postponed until the first following weekday. It is necessary to have five non-alloy silver dollars and an observant kohen present.

Prayers to be said during pregnancy

May I suggest a wonderful Jewish book to add to your library? The book is called, 'A Joyful Mother of Children' (Aim Habanim Samacha). This book has the prayers in Hebrew and English to be said during pregnancy. It also has many Jewish laws and tidbits that may enhance your pregnancy in a spiritual way. It may be purchased on line from www.tiferes.com or www.eichlers.com.