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The Bris Website - So You Want to Make a Bris

Welcome to the Bris Website

Years ago when most Jews lived in fairly close communities and were more observant of religious rituals, couples having a baby found it easy to get information about having a bris if the baby was a boy. Now with many young Jewish couples living far from their parents and home communities and with less knowledge and observance of Jewish customs, such information is less readily available. That is why this web site has been written. Its goal is to provide clear, accurate information about all aspects of the modern bris ceremony. The information in this book will help couples (1) make decisions about having a bris, (2) choose a mohel, and  (3) understand the medical and religious aspects of this significant family event.

Henry Michael Lerner, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology (Retired)
Harvard Medical School


Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The biblical background of the bris
  3. The history of the bris ceremony
  4. Timing of the bris: Why the eighth day?
  5. Rules and customs concerning a bris
  6. Why should I have my son circumcised at all?
  7. Choosing between a home bris and a hospital circumcision
  8. Twins and other multiple births
  9. The “mixed couple”—when one partner is not Jewish
  10. Medical reasons for postponing or not doing a bris 
  11. How should the baby be dressed for his brit milah ceremony?
  12. What should attendees wear to a bris?
  13. Cameras, videos and other high tech
  14. Is it appropriate to bring small children to a bris?
  15. Should one bring a baby gift to a bris?
  16. What supplies do you need to have at a bris?
  17. Explaining the brit milah ceremony to non-Jewish guests
  18. Honors at a bris
  19. The Chair of Elijah
  20. The brit milah service
  21. The mohel
  22. Choosing a mohel
  23. How much does a mohel charge? How do you pay the mohel?
  24. What do you have to do to get the baby ready for his bris?
  25. The circumcision procedure 
  26. Anesthesia and circumcision complications
  27. Metzitzah
  28. Burial of the foreskin
  29. Aftercare
  30. Hatafat dam brit
  31. Naming the baby
  32. Brit Bat—Jewish birth ceremonies for girls
  33. The redemption of the firstborn son:  Pidyon Ha-Ben
  34. Special circumstances
  35. Fetal demise/stillborn
  36. Biblical passage from Genesis which outline the origin of the brit milah ceremony 
  37. Glossary

Note

Because some readers will read only certain sections of this web page, there is some built-in repetition of aspects of the explanation of the brit milah ceremony.

Additionally, the terms “bris” and “brit milah” are used interchangeably in describing the Jewish ritual circumcision ceremony.  “Bris” is the shkenazic/Yiddish traditional pronunciation for “brit”.

The Bris (Brit Milah) Site

So You Want to Make a Bris
Everything you need to know about having a bris for your newborn son