the ceremony
A father once told me that he and his wife were contemplating having the procedure done in the hospital. Thankfully, he states, I convinced him otherwise. He said that although everyone was filled with joy at the birth of their son, it was the Bris ceremony that brought everyone together. It was an opportunity for family and friends to be together for an experience that was spiritually moving as well as educational.
The Bris is done on the eighth day of life. It may not be performed before the eighth day or at night. The eighth day is including the day of birth. If the baby is born on a Monday the bris would then be on the following Monday. The only tricky part about this calculation is that the Jewish day begins at nightfall. Therefore, if the baby was born Monday after sunset that is really Tuesday and the Bris would be the following Tuesday. In the event that the baby is not in perfect health - even if not seriously ill - the Bris is delayed until both the doctor and I are in agreement as to the healthy status of the baby.
The ceremony usually takes place at home, in a synagogue or at a catering hall. The decision where to hold the ceremony really depends on where the mother will be most comfortable. Some mothers prefer the ability to relax in the privacy of her own bedroom after the ceremony whereas some would not necessarily appreciate a lot of guests in her home after birth.
The baby begins in the arms of the mother while two candles are lit. She then hands the baby to a couple to bring him closer to the ceremonial table. He will then be placed on the symbolic chair of Elijah (from Passover fame) to receive a blessing. Afterwards he is placed on the lap of the Sandek for the actual circumcision procedure. Immediately following the Bris, a blessing is said over a cup of wine, and the baby receives his official Hebrew name. The newborn child is often named after departed relatives. The ceremony ends with the resounding wish of "Mazel Tov".
The following are the honors given out at the bris. I have made some notes as to what is generally done however; you may feel free to choose whomever you would like to be involved.
Preparations
The following items need to be prepared for the bris:
A. Preparations for the baby:
B. Room Preparation:
C. Table Preparation:
D. Before the Ceremony:
The Bris is done on the eighth day of life. It may not be performed before the eighth day or at night. The eighth day is including the day of birth. If the baby is born on a Monday the bris would then be on the following Monday. The only tricky part about this calculation is that the Jewish day begins at nightfall. Therefore, if the baby was born Monday after sunset that is really Tuesday and the Bris would be the following Tuesday. In the event that the baby is not in perfect health - even if not seriously ill - the Bris is delayed until both the doctor and I are in agreement as to the healthy status of the baby.
The ceremony usually takes place at home, in a synagogue or at a catering hall. The decision where to hold the ceremony really depends on where the mother will be most comfortable. Some mothers prefer the ability to relax in the privacy of her own bedroom after the ceremony whereas some would not necessarily appreciate a lot of guests in her home after birth.
The baby begins in the arms of the mother while two candles are lit. She then hands the baby to a couple to bring him closer to the ceremonial table. He will then be placed on the symbolic chair of Elijah (from Passover fame) to receive a blessing. Afterwards he is placed on the lap of the Sandek for the actual circumcision procedure. Immediately following the Bris, a blessing is said over a cup of wine, and the baby receives his official Hebrew name. The newborn child is often named after departed relatives. The ceremony ends with the resounding wish of "Mazel Tov".
The following are the honors given out at the bris. I have made some notes as to what is generally done however; you may feel free to choose whomever you would like to be involved.
- Lighting the candles (very often this is given to the grandmothers)
- A couple to enter with the baby (traditionally, this is given to a couple who would like to have a child of their own, this is also sometimes referred to as the godparents)
- Placing the baby on the symbolic chair of Elijah
- Sandek (holds the baby during the Bris ceremony, most often given to a grandfather or esteemed guest)
- Holding the baby during the naming / The Standing Sandek (if there are two grandfathers and one has been designated Sandek then usually the other grandfather is given this honor)
- Naming the baby (usually done by myself or another guest Rabbi)
Preparations
The following items need to be prepared for the bris:
- 2 Firm sleeping pillows
- 2 tallis
- Kosher grape juice (or sweet grape wine)
- Kiddush cup
- 2 white candles
- Candlesticks
- Matches
- 1 tube of Bacitracin (1 ounce)
- extra diapers
- baby wipes
- receiving blanket that may become soiled or stained
- For Sefardim and Persians only; Fragrant Spices
A. Preparations for the baby:
- Finish feeding the baby approx ½ hour prior to the ceremony.
- Dress the baby in two layers. A t-shirt onesie under an outfit, something that opens easily from the bottom. My personal preference is a onesie and tube gown with the elastic on the bottom and a onesie underneath.
- Infant Acetaminophen drops may be administered approx 30 min. prior to the ceremony. Dosage: 1.25 ml
B. Room Preparation:
- Large open room --- Preferably dining or living room. Ceremony must be held inside.
- People should be standing during the ceremony so please clear the room to make room. If there are guests that need to sit of course that is permissible.
- Please make sure that there is good lighting.
- Large table --- sturdy, large, waist-high table. Any shape, will do... No flimsy card or diaper changing tables please!
- 2 dining room chairs placed to the left of the table.
C. Table Preparation:
- Cover the table with a table cloth -- Any color or style may be used. Please no plastic!
- All items listed above should be on the table.
- If the baby is being named after someone, it is a nice touch to have a picture of that person place on the ceremonial table.
D. Before the Ceremony:
- Print and fill out the info sheet