Relatives who attend the bris seldom forget the experience, and being asked to participate is a special honor most people remember for a lifetime. Their first step into a world of ritual and adherence, the bris serves as a coming-out party, naming ceremony, and rite of passage, all in one. The bris is a critical rite of passage for young Jewish boys. The Importance of the Bris in Jewish Tradition The mohel will then place a drop or two of the wine in the baby’s mouth and the parents will drink some as well.Īfter the ceremony, the bris guests will move on to a buffet, which typically features foods like bagels and lox, although many other items may be served, as well, since there are no rules stating which foods must be present or not. Immediately after he will announce the baby boy’s new Hebrew name. Once the blessing is over, the guests will respond with the following words: “Just as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into (a life of) Torah, the marriage canopy, and into good deeds.”Īt this point, the mohel will lift a glass of wine and recite a prayer.
In some more liberal Jewish communities, both parents will recite the blessing. Once the circumcision is complete, the father of the baby will recite a blessing. The final stage of the ceremony is called the metzitzah, and involves the mohel cleaning the blood from the wound with gauze.Īt this point, the surgery is over and the celebration begins. At that point, the mohel will use a knife to remove the baby’s foreskin, and then he will tear off the mucous membrane so that the penis glans is exposed. Next, the mohel will place a shield around the baby’s penis (designed to protect it from accidental cutting). During this process, the mohel recites a blessing that acknowledges the commandment of circumcision. Upon receipt of the baby, the mohel greets him with the phrase Baruch Ha-Ba, which translates to “blessed is the one who has arrived.” A mohel is a member of the Jewish tradition who has been trained to perform circumcisions, and who will carry out the bris ceremony. While this role is traditionally filled by one of the baby’s grandfathers, it can be filled by anyone designated by the parents.Īt that point, the mohel enters the room. Once the baby is in the room, he is handed to a sandek, which is what the person who holds the baby during the circumcision is called. In Jewish tradition, it is a great honor to be asked to carry a baby to the bris ceremony, and this is a request most people regard with great gratitude.
Wondering what to expect at a bris? Here’s your breakdown: before a bris ceremony takes place, the baby boy is prepared for his rite of passage by being placed on a large pillow and being carried into the circumcision room by a special person (or a few persons) in the baby boy’s life. While the circumcision itself is quick, the ceremony involves several rituals, prayers, and traditions that earn it its notable spot in Jewish culture. Also known as a brit milah, this ceremony marks the circumcision of baby boys who are eight days old. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.īris is one of the most time-honored and critical traditions in Jewish culture.
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