Gloves

I happened to look at a website of a mohel who posts photographs of himself "in action." I don't know the man, so I will not comment about the need to demonstrate the play by play.

But I notice he is not wearing gloves on his hands when he does the circumcision.

And this really really really bothers me.

We live in the 21st century. We know all kinds of things about cleanliness, sterility, hygiene, blood, transferring disease, not touching an open wound with anything other than something which is objectively sterile.

Unless you blowtorch your hands (which I don't recommend), they will not be sterile. Clean? Perhaps, if you scrub long enough. Sanitized? With the right hand sanitizer, it's my word versus the company's word. Sterile? Not possible. We have fingernails! And cracks in our skin!

How any mohel can still operate without gloves on is beyond me. How he gets away with it is beyond my comprehension.

And the parent who does not even inquire, who does not ask "Will you please wear gloves?" Or "In what manner are you protecting my son from your hands?" does not really understand what is taking place here.

If you would allow a doctor to go without gloves when doing a procedure on you in which blood will be drawn, then I withdraw my comment. (Though I question your concern for yourself, and your doctor's concern for himself or herself). If you would allow a dentist to poke around in your mouth without wearing gloves, then I withdraw my comment. (Though I question how your dentist has not contracted some kind of dangerous disease.)

FOR THE SAKE OF JEWISH BABIES, PLEASE DISCOURAGE MOHELS FROM CIRCUMCIZING WITH THEIR BARE HANDS! INSIST THAT THEY WEAR GLOVES!