The
customs and laws pertaining to circumcision are derived from
the Bible, Talmud, and Jewish tradition, all of which have been meticulously
passed down from generation to generation.
God's
First Commandment to Abraham
Circumcision
is the first commandment given by God to Abraham,
the first Jew, and is central to Judaism. Abraham, the father of the
Jewish People, had for many years served God righteously. Yet it
was only after he circumcised himself by God's command at the age
of ninety-nine years, that he was able to reach the ultimate level of
Biblical perfection of "and you shall be perfect" (Genesis
17:1).
God
desired that this final "finishing touch" and perfection of our body should be a distinctly human act. This teaches us that spiritual
perfection must and can be accomplished by human effort.
In
the Torah
It
is written in the Torah: "This is My covenant that you shall observe
between Me and you and your children after you, to circumcise
your every male. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin,
and it shall become the sign of a covenant between Me and you"
(ibid. 17:10-11). This is the only commandment of the Torah called
"the sign of a covenant" between God and the Jewish people.
In fact, the Torah mentions the word "Bris" (Heb. covenant) 13 times in
connection with circumcision, which is why the word "Bris" has become
synonymous with circumcision. Our Sages say that it is considered the
greatest of all the commandments.
The
covenant between God and the Jewish people is so profound and
significant that the circumcision is performed at the earliest possible
time in a person's life. The Torah tells us that this is on the eighth
day after birth.
Transcending
Intellect
As
children mature and develop they are trained to observe all the mitzvot, each according to their level, especially once they reach the
age when they are able to perform them on their own and appreciate
their importance. With circumcision, however, we do not wait until the boy
develops enough to comprehend its significance. This
is because the bond and covenant between the Jew and God transcends
intellect and is so vital that it is not delayed.
Another
distinction is that other commandments are performed in
conjunction with, but external to, the body. Tefillin (phylacteries), for instance, are
worn on the arm and head; charity is given by the hand.
Circumcision is unique for it is performed upon the body itself, leaving
the mark of God's eternal covenant upon it for life.
Once
a boy is circumcised, his Godly soul begins to enter his body
in a process that is completed at his Bar Mitzvah at the age of thirteen.
The
Obligation
The
primary obligation for a Jewish boy's circumcision falls upon the
father. In a case where the father is not present or fails to arrange for
the circumcision, the obligation falls upon the Jewish community, and
essentially every Jew, to arrange for his circumcision. Once the child
reaches Bar Mitzvah he becomes personally obligated to see to it
that he is circumcised.
The
Sages of the Talmud taught that "every commandment of the Torah for
which the Jewish people have sacrificed their lives, especially
under the threat of death during periods of governmental persecution,
including circumcision, is preserved by them." Indeed, throughout
the generations, even under the worst persecutions, the Jews have
kept the mitzvah of Bris Milah with incredible devotion, self-sacrifice and joy. Our Sages have also said: "Every commandment
that the Jews have accepted upon themselves with joy, such as circumcision, endures."
A Qualified
Mohel
The
person who performs the Bris is called a "Mohel." He is a master
surgeon with special expertise in Jewish ritual circumcision. To qualify
as a Mohel one must be a God-fearing, Torah observant Jew,
and trained in all of the myriad Jewish laws and medical laws pertaining
to Bris Milah.
By
having the Bris performed by a qualified Mohel one is assured that
the entire procedure is acceptable to Biblical and Halachic (Jewish law) standards,
and performed in a most medically competent manner.
One
should note that having a baby circumcised by a pediatrician surgeon at
the hospital does not fulfill the Biblical requirements of a Jewish
ritual circumcision. The obligation still remains to be circumcised ritually. In addition, many physicians utilize various methods
and procedures, such as the Gamko clamp that causes unnecessary pain to
the child, and is forbidden according to Jewish law.
