High Fiving the Sandak

I have never done this before. But today, before the baby was on the sandak's lap, I let out a whoop and gave the sandak a high-five.

Here's the background.

Before the baby gets put on the sandak's lap, and after the baby is on his lap, I speak with him briefly, giving him instructions for how he is to hold the baby, etc.

When his legs are in the position they will remain in for the circumcision (remember, baby will be on a pillow which will be resting on sandak's lap), often with at least one pillow on his lap, I typically ask the sandak, "Are you comfortable?"

It's both a serious question, and the set up for an old Henny Youngman punchline you'll find at the end below the line.

In the Merit of Milah...

דעת זקנים מבעלי התוספות דברים פרק ל

מי "יעלה "לנו "השמימה. הרי מילה בראשי תיבות רמז שבזכות מילה עלה משה לשמי' לקבל התורה"

Daat Zekenim on the recent Torah portion

Who (Mi) Will Go Up (iYaleh) For Us (Lanu) To The Heavens (HaShamayma)

Milah is the acronym of those words, to hint to us that in the merit of circumcision, Moshe went up the mountain to receive the Torah!

When we look at the last letters of those words, we find the Tetragrammaton - God's special name - indicating Who was waiting for Moshe to give him the Torah.