Bris During Sefiras Ha'Omer

This is one of a series of blog posts on things that might be done differently at a bris taking place on a special day on the Jewish calendar. See all of the links at this dedicated page

The book "Otzar HaBris" (Yossele Weisberg) has a section of halakhot surrounding what is done differently on noted days of the Jewish calendar.

With respect to a bris to be held during Sefiras Ha'Omer, he writes the following: (Vol I 285-286)

1. The baby's father, the Mohel and the Sandak may all have their hair cut (and shave, etc) in honor of the bris. But not rhe kvatter. (though some allow the kvatter to groom in this manner)
2. That haircut can even take place the day BEFORE the bris. If the bris will take place on Shabbos, that haircut may even take place on the Thursday before the bris (though some only allowed Friday, with the extreme of their allowance being limited to Friday morning as well, and not having to only use the latter half of Friday as the permitted time)
3. For a Sunday bris, there is a debate as to whether one should wait until Sunday (or Saturday night), while an opinion allows for a Friday haircut.
4. It is very customary to recite "Av Harachamim" during Sefirat Ha'Omer, so the Shabbos bris during Sefirat Ha'Omer should not cancel the recitation of "Av haRachamim."(The Vilna Gaon was of the view to cancel Av HaRachamim if there is a bris on Shabbos during Sefirah)
5. The celebratory meal should be held without dancing. (This is common practice throughout the year. I have been to very few brisses that had dancing - though many in the Sefardic community tend to have music at the bris. most often in DJ form.)

Bris in Quarantine

It's now been over a month since many of us have gone into full scale social-distancing and limited quarantines. I am sure many of us have seen that weddings are still taking place, albeit significantly scaled down, and usually in a backyard.

Naturally, babies are still being born, and each Jewish boy still needs to have his bris!

While in the past people have contacted me in advance of the birth asking if I'll be around in a few months, now the only questions I'm getting are, "Have you been infected?" "Who are you hanging around?" "Are you sick?" and "Will you do the bris wearing a mask?"

Thank God, I have not been sick at all. I'm mostly hanging around my family. And I will happily do the bris with a mask (the mask does prevent metzitzah in most forms - which has certainly demonstrated that metzitzah is less a requirement and more of a custom).

To be perfectly honest, I've done many brisses with the kinds of crowds I'm seeing these days. Sometimes people live far from Jewish friends, or they simply want to keep things very private. So the territory of working with just the parents and baby present is not new for me. 

What is new is having a lot of people participating through a screen on ZOOM or Facebook.

And I am loving it - for the baby, for the parents, and yes - for me too.

Why? Mainly because I think the best place to have a bris is at home. The baby doesn't have to go anywhere, he can nap afterwards in his bassinet / crib (not in a carseat), and his parents can give him full, undivided attention (as they are often unable to do when they're hosting a bris). 

Yes, of course they're saving money on renting a space, on all the food (or catering), and much of the heartache (not that this is a bad thing) that naturally comes from throwing a party. But there's a certain blessing that comes with sharing the simcha online, and then shutting off the screen and just being with most immediate family, new parents, baby, and baby's older siblings (if the baby is not the first child).

They also don't have to think about kibbudim, but I did read Rav Herschel Schachter's thought on participating in a bris via Zoom: http://www.torahweb.org/torah/docs/rsch/RavSchachter-Corona-17-April-05-2020.pdf in which he wrote "If a grandfather is participating in the bris milah of his grandson via Zoom, it is permissible for him to name the baby. However, he should not recite the bracha of “asher kidash yedid m’beten” via Zoom."

That is fascinating!

I personally enjoy not having to rush from room to room, not having to worry about forgetting something in one place, to track down the pillows and kiddush cups that may have been left in one room, and most importantly, being able to give the baby full attention in the presence of his parents. Additionally, since there aren't distractions, we can all focus when discussing the baby's "post bris care."

This is the first part of the letter I am sending to parents these days:

******

Dear Parents

              Mazal Tov, and congratulations on the birth of your new son! 

               I am very excited to join you at this very special time, and honored to serve in the role as mohel for the coming bris. I look forward to doing all I can to help make this event meaningful and special to you, and to giving your son the best care possible.  

                Because of the current social distancing protocols, this bris is going to be different from others you've experienced, but hopefully, for your immediate family, it will be most memorable. 

                You don't need to think about all the kibbudim and people you will be honoring. But you will have the chance to relax immediately after you turn off the Zoom (or whatever platform you use to connect with relatives and friends) immediately after the bris is over. In the brisses I've done during this time period, I've found this to be an unexpected blessing for some parents. When all this is over, your family and friends will meet your son in person and watch him grow. In the immediate minutes and hours after the bris, he'll be with the people he needs most. The two of you!

               This link will provide you with links to most of the information you need. Some of it is less relevant in the very private affair we'll be conducting. I gave you the basic information any way, though I imagine we'll play much by ear based on the realities we'll have that day.

******

As always, it is my honor to be brought into a family's inner most circle at this time. 

A Bris on Yom Tov

This is one of a series of blog posts on things that might be done differently at a bris taking place on a special day on the Jewish calendar. See all of the links at this dedicated page

The book "Otzar HaBris" (Yossele Weisberg) has a section of halakhot surrounding what is done differently on noted days of the Jewish calendar.

With respect to a bris to be held on Yom Tov, he writes the following: (Vol II 145-154)

1.  A bris taking place on the 8th day ("on time") pushes aside Yom Tov, just as it pushes aside Shabbos. (It is not delayed to avoid doing the bris on the holiday). However, an already pushed off bris (not "on time" any more) will not take place on Yom Tov
2. A boy born during "Bein HaShmashot" (after sunset but before nightfall), such that his 8th day "might be" Yom Tov will have his bris take place the day after the holiday. (We don't push aside the holiday for a sa'fek/doubt)
3. Any doubt which is cast over whether a bris should take place on Shabbos applies to Yom Tov as well.
4. The mohel may not travel outside of the T'chum (halakhic boundary of the city) in order to do a bris. If there is a doubt as to what is considered the T'chum, the mohel may walk to the bris.
5. A person who has never circumcised before should not do his first circumcision on Shabbos or Yom Tov. If there is no one else to do it, he may do it on Yom Tov (but not on Shabbos). (If there is no one else to do it, it might be a good idea to wait until after the holiday - AB)
6. Even according to those who allow a woman to circumcised for the Bris, they feel she should not do the bris on Yom Tov (a weekday is OK).
7. If a mohel is asked to leave his family to be somewhere else for the holiday so that he can conduct the bris there, some say he is obligated to go so that the mitzvah take place at the right time. Others say he is certainly not obligated to undo his own mitzvah if simchas Yom Tov for someone else's bris milah responsibility. (This might be a slightly different conversation in Israel, where there is one day of Yom Tov, versus in the Diaspora, where holidays are 2 days. My personal practice for holidays is to tell people "you have the responsibility to find someone. If you do not find someone, I can be available the day after the holiday." On occasion I go for Shabbos for a Shabbos bris. A Yom Tov bris is a much bigger commitment which I am unable to make at this stage of my life. - AB)
8. For Rosh Hashana, if there will not be a minyan, and he will not hear Shofar, there is a debate as to whether the mohel is obligated to go.
9. Compensation for the bris is "payment" for travel, and for any care given to the baby after the holiday.
10. Whatever is prohibited to do on Shabbos is prohibited to do on Yom Tov when it comes to the bris, unless the melacha in question is permitted on account of it being related to food preparation.
11. The baby can be brought to the bris. The bris instruments (knife, etc) may be brought to the bris. However, all of the supplies for the bris become muktzeh once the bris is over.

Bris on Erev Pesach

This is one of a series of blog posts on things that might be done differently at a bris taking place on a special day on the Jewish calendar. See all of the links at this dedicated page

The book "Otzar HaBris" (Yossele Weisberg) has a section of halakhot surrounding what is done differently on noted days of the Jewish calendar.

 With respect to a bris to be held on Erev Pesach, he writes the following:
1. It is best to have the bris before the time for burning Chametz (even on Shabbos)
2. If a Chametz meal is held, there should be minimal Chametz at the meal to prevent Chametz ownership and usage from being extended into the day
3. Everyone, even first borns, may participate in the celebratory Mitzvah meal, even if the bris was delayed
4. However, (pursuant to #3), a bris should not be specifically delayed to Erev Pesach to allow for firstborns to eat.
5. After the time for getting rid of Chametz has passed, a celebratory meal may no longer be held on Erev Pesach.
6. For those who eat "rich matzah" (such as egg matzah) on Erev Pesach, a meal may be held until the 10th halakhic hour of the day.

Next up, Bris on Yom Tov

Bris in the month of Nissan

This is one of a series of blog posts on things that might be done differently at a bris taking place on a special day on the Jewish calendar. See all of the links at this dedicated page

The book "Otzar HaBris" (Yossele Weisberg) has a section of halakhot surrounding what is done differently on noted days of the Jewish calendar.

 With respect to a bris during the first half of the month of Nissan, he shares the following insight, which is similar to what he shared regarding Chanukah:

 Some have the custom to name the child for the prince who brought his offerings on that day:
1st day of Nissan - Nachshon
2nd day of Nissan - Netanel
3rd day of Nissan - Eliav
4th day of Nissan - Elitzur
5th day of Nissan - Shlumiel *
6th day of Nissan - Elyasaf
7th day of Nissan - Elishama
8th day of Nissan - Gamliel
9th day of Nissan - Avidan
10th day of Nissan - Achiezer
11th day of Nissan - Pagiel
12th day of Nissan - Achira

Next up, a bris on Erev Pesach

 * for other reasons, I would not recommend giving the name Shlumiel