Birth

The first commandment God spoke to humankind in the Torah is "P'ru u'r'vu - be fruitful and multiply." With these words as our inspiration, Jews have celebrated the birth of every child with meaningful rituals and a meal of celebration for millenia.

What are these customs?  They include Brit Milah (ritual circumcision) for boys and Simchat Bat (baby naming ceremonies) for girls. 

If you are reading this material in preparation for the birth or adoption of a child or grandchild, let us wish you "B'shah-ah tovah," a traditional greeting which means, "May the baby come at a propitious time for all."  If you have already been blessed with the birth or adoption of your child (or grandchild), let us say "Mazel Tov" to you and your family.  If you are reading this solely in order to learn about Jewish customs, we hope you enjoy your learning!  

Raising a child is a precious gift that comes with many responsibilities. One of the first things that parents need to do upon the birth or adoption of a newborn is to choose a name for their child.  A person's name is part of their identity.  As Jews, our Hebrew names are what we are called by and blessed with when we are sick, when we ascend the bimah for an aliyah during the Torah service, the name that is written on our ketubah (wedding contract) and more.  The bestowal of a Hebrew name is thus a key element of bringing your child into the covenant of the Jewish people and the first step in building their Jewish identity.  

Dating all the way back to the time of the Maccabees it has been common for Jews to possess two names:  a secular name for use on a daily basis, and a Hebrew used at synagogue and for religious ritual.  Today, many American Jews give their children both English and Hebrew names.  Sometimes the two names start with the same letter. For instance, Scott’s Hebrew name might be Samuel and Melissa’s might be Michal.  Sometimes the English name is the English version of the Hebrew name, like Jonah and Yonah or Deborah and Devorah. Sometimes the English name is a name the parent’s chose because they simply liked it, while the Hebrew name is the exact one of a deceased relative.  

There are several sources for Hebrew names for Jewish children today.  The first source of names is the Hebrew Bible, where we find names like Abraham, Sarah, David, and Hannah.  The second source is modern Israeli names.   Modern Hebrew has names used in Israel include ones such as Tal, Shai, Ayalah, Noa, and more. 

Additionally, some families of Ashkenazi origin still give their children Yiddish and/or Hebrew names.  Thus, a boy named Steven may be called Tzvi Hersh or a girl named Pearl be called Perle/Perla. Most agree that a Yiddish name is a valid "Jewish" name for a child.         

While the command to be fruitful and multiply was the first commandment given to humankind in the Torah, one of the first given specifically to the Jewish people was the observance of brit milah – the covenant of circumcision.  In Genesis 17 God commands Abraham to circumcise himself and his son Ishmael.  God then says:  “And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days.”  Brit milah (ritual circumcision) therefore is a commandment of the Torah and binds each Jewish boy/man in a covenantal relationship with God, the same covenant established by our forefather Abraham.

The command is to have Jewish boys undergo brit milah (often referred to as a bris) on the eighth day.  The way we count to the eighth day is different than one might think.  The day of birth counts as Day One. Thus, a boy born on a Tuesday will have his bris the following Tuesday.  Please note that if the child is born after sundown, the brit milah is moved to the next day (in our example it would move to Wednesday) because a Jewish day begins at night, and we don't want to accidentally do the brit milah on the seventh day.  It should be noted that scientists have learned in recent years that Vitamin K, which helps with clotting, is higher on the eighth day than on any day prior.  Thus, for both religious and medical reasons we don’t want to do a bris before the eighth day.  

The mitzvah of brit milah is so central to Jewish tradition that one is required to perform the ceremony even if the eighth day falls on Shabbat or a holiday (even Yom Kippur). Knowing how strict the rules of Shabbat observance can be, this is amazing!  The exceptions to holding a Shabbat or Yom Tov brit milah are in the cases of births at twilight or births by voluntary C-section.  In these situations the brit milah is held on the ninth day. And of course, a bris would be delayed if the newborn boy is sick.  In that case medical need takes priority over brit milah and the child has a bris when the doctor says he is healthy enough to do it. 

While the commandment from the Torah originally meant that each father should circumcise his own son, today this is very rare.  Almost all parents designate a mohel (pronounced moy-ul) to perform the ritual on their behalf.  A mohel is someone who is trained and certified to perform a brit milah.  While many mohalim (plural of mohel) are rabbis, others are Jewish doctors who have received special religious training in this ritual. Both men and women can be trained to serve as mohalim, though a female is called a mohelet.

There are several mohalim that regularly serve the South Florida community.  Two who we know other members of our Temple Beth Am community have used are Dr. Andrew Krinsky at:  Dr. Krinsky | Board Certified Religious Mohel in South Florida and Dr. Elise Leonard at:  https://floridabris.com/. 

A brit milah is most often held in the home of the newborn's family.  Sometimes it is held at the synagogue or another location.  It is recommended that one call the mohel/mohelet as soon as possible after the birth of a healthy son so that you can schedule the bris.  The mohalim in our area are fully capable of doing the entire service themselves.  However, if you would like Rabbi Goldsmith to participate in your simchah (joyous occasion), she will be able to coordinate with the mohel of your choice. 

It is traditional to schedule the ceremony early in the day.  If it is not possible to hold the ceremony in the morning it is permitted to have the ceremony any time on the eighth day prior to sundown.  In general the mohel will provide instructions for the family and what they will need on the big day. Such items include a Kiddush cup, wine, a pillow, a chair designated for Elijah the Prophet, and a challah with which to begin the seudat mitzvah, the festive meal following the brit milah, as well as items to help with the baby’s comfort after the ceremony.   

The ceremony itself consists of three parts:  the ritual circumcision, the bestowal of the name, and the seudah mitzvah.  The first part is the ritual circumcision, which includes several blessings recalling the covenant God makes with us through our ancestor Abraham.  The mohel will help the parents recite any blessings necessary.  The second part of the ritual is the bestowal of the Hebrew name.  It is customary for the parents of the infant to explain the choice of name, who the baby is named after, what qualities of the loved one you hope the child exemplifies, etc.  Following the bestowal of the name is the seudat mitzvah, the meal celebrating the special occasion and fulfillment of this religious obligation.

If you have any additional questions concerning brit milah, please feel free to call Rabbi Goldsmith at 954-968-4545 x 118.