The commandment of circumcision was given to Abraham, the first Jew, as it states: “God said to Abraham: And you, you shall observe My covenant, you, and your descendants after you throughout their generations…. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a mark of a covenant between Me and you” (Genesis 17:9–11).

Circumcision is also the first commandment that is experienced by every Jewish male after birth. This commandment, more than any other, symbolizes the eternal bond between the Jewish male and his Creator; it is carved into his flesh and accompanies him everywhere, in all circumstances.

Further reading: For more on circumcision and its meaning, see A Concise Guide to the Torah, pp. 34, 142, 277; A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 144; A Concise Guide to Mahshava, p. 9.

It is advisable to contact a certified circumciser, or mohel, immediately after the birth, to arrange for the circumcision in a place of the parents’ choosing. (A mohel is the most skilled person at performing circumcisions, even more than doctors, as this is the mohel’s specific area of expertise.) In Israel, the website of the Chief Rabbinate has a list of certified mohalim who are licensed by the Department of Health. It is also advisable to consult with friends who have used the services of a mohel for their sons’ circumcision. The mohel will keep an eye on the baby’s welfare and check to see if he is fit for undergoing circumcision. Sometimes he will wish to examine the boy the day before the circumcision.

There are three minor events that may be held between childbirth and circumcision, in accordance with the customs of the various communities: welcoming the newborn male child [Shalom Zakhar], the recitation of Shema, and the Covenant of Isaac [Brit Yitzĥak].

Shalom Zakhar: It is customary, mainly in Ashkenazic communities, to host a Shalom Zakhar, a gathering of friends and family on the first Shabbat evening following the birth. Members of the family, along with friends and neighbors, come together in the newborn’s home (or in a nearby synagogue) after the Friday night meal and sit around the table for a short while. Light refreshments are served and the guests bless the parents that they shall merit to raise the child to partake of “Torah knowledge, the wedding canopy, and good deeds.” It is customary to serve, among other items, cooked chickpeas [commonly called arbes] at this gathering. The event can be held even if the infant has not yet been released from the hospital, or when he and his mother are recovering.

Recitation of Shema: On the night preceding the circumcision, it is customary to invite children to come to the home, stand together around the infant’s crib, and recite the verses of Shema, the text of the priestly blessing, and the verse: “May the angel who delivers me…” (Genesis 48:16). The purpose of this ceremony is to provide increased protection for the infant during the night before his circumcision. The full verses that are recited are as follows:

“Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. These matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall inculcate them in your children, and you shall speak of them while you are sitting in your house, and while you are walking on the way, and while you are lying down, and while you are rising. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4–9). “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying: So shall you bless the children of Israel, say to them: The Lord shall bless you, and keep you. The Lord shall shine His countenance to you, and be gracious to you. The Lord shall lift His countenance to you, and grant you peace. And they shall place My name upon the children of Israel, and I shall bless them” (Numbers 6:22–27). “May the angel who delivers me from all evil, bless the lads and let my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, be called upon them and may they proliferate like fish in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16).

Brit Yitzĥak: Sephardic communities have a custom of gathering friends together on the night before the circumcision to recite selected passages from the book of Zohar (from Parashat Lekh Lekha). For those who follow this practice, it is recommended that the study session be conducted by at least ten males [minyan]. The order of the study session can be found in books that deal with circumcision and the preparations for it, or in special prayer books for this night.

The reason for this gathering is twofold: to enhance the honor of the mitzva of circumcision that will be performed the next day, and to provide extra protection for the baby. Even if no gathering can be arranged, it is customary for the father of the son to recite the relevant sections of the Zohar himself.

Although a child’s name is entirely the choice of his parents, according to kabbalistic sources, a name is not merely a technical matter, but a “channel” through which a person receives his life source. Therefore, it is important for parents to select for their child a Hebrew name that has a positive significance, not one that expresses an undesirable message or the name of a negative historical character.

Further reading: For more on the calling of a name and its meaning, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 7.

On which day is the circumcision performed?

The Torah specifies that the circumcision should be performed on the eighth day following the birth of the baby. The day of birth itself is included in the eight days, and therefore, the circumcision is ordinarily performed on the same day of the week as the birth. For example, if the baby was born on a Tuesday, his circumcision would take place on the following Tuesday.

In all matters of halakha, nighttime is considered part of the next day. Consequently, a baby born on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday is considered to have been born on Wednesday, and his circumcision will be performed on the Wednesday of the following week.

If a baby is born during the twilight hours, that is, between sunset and the emergence of the stars, his date of circumcision is calculated the same as that of a baby born after dark. The reason is that there is halakhic uncertainty as to whether twilight is part the previous day or the following one, and in a case of doubt the circumcision may be performed a day late, but never earlier than the eighth day. Accordingly, a baby born during twilight on Wednesday, a time which may be considered either Wednesday or Thursday, will be circumcised on Thursday a week later.

A baby born on Shabbat will be circumcised at the regular time, i.e., on the following Shabbat. That is, the commandment of circumcision overrides the prohibition of Shabbat desecration.

The circumcision of a baby born during twilight on Friday evening will be postponed until the Sunday of the following week. This is because circumcision supersedes Shabbat only when it is certain that Shabbat is actually the eighth day from birth. If there is any doubt, as there is in the case of a twilight birth, the sanctity of the Shabbat takes precedence and the circumcision is postponed to Sunday.

Even when the baby is born on Shabbat itself, if he was born by Caesarean section the circumcision is not held on the following Shabbat, but is postponed until Sunday. There are halakhic opinions that a baby conceived via artificial insemination is not circumcised on Shabbat either, even if he was delivered by regular birth on Shabbat.

In any case of uncertainty about the date of the circumcision, a rabbi should be consulted.

If the baby is unwell or is jaundiced, and circumcision might endanger his health, the circumcision is postponed until he recovers. Many mohalim have extensive experience and a broad understanding of this matter, and therefore it is recommended to consult the mohel, together with a doctor.

A circumcision may be performed only in the daytime, between sunrise and sunset. Although the entire day is valid for the performance of a circumcision, it is preferred to try to hold it early in the morning, in accordance with the halakhic principle that “the vigilant perform mitzvot early,” that is, it is best to perform a mitzva as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, the halakha does take other factors into consideration. For example, if the early hours of the day are inconvenient for the invitees, and they would rather come after work, it is permitted and even advisable to postpone the time of the circumcision, in accordance with the principle that “in the multitude of people is the glory of a king” (Proverbs 14:28). This rule, which applies to other mitzvot as well, means that performing a mitzva in the presence of a large gathering serves to honor the King who has commanded us to perform that mitzva.

These are the main roles in a circumcision ceremony:

Mohel: The mohel performs the actual circumcision, and is almost always in charge of running the ceremony as well.

Sandak: The sandak is the person who holds the baby on his knees while the circumcision is performed. This is an important role that is given to a close relative or a dignitary. It is customary to honor one of the grandparents, a respected member of the family, an important rabbi, or someone of similar status. According to custom, the same person should not serve as sandak twice in the same nuclear family. In other words, if a grandfather on the father’s side was granted the honor of being the sandak for the first child, he should not be given the same role again for the second child. Instead, it would be offered to, say, the maternal grandfather. However, some maintain that a great rabbi can be a sandak more than once for the same family.

Kvatter: In Ashkenazic communities, the couple who carries the baby from the mother to the father is called the kvatter. The mother hands the baby to the wife, who hands him to her husband, who then passes the baby to the father.

There are other functions with which one can honor family and friends, although the mohel or the father of the baby can perform these tasks themselves: (1) Placing the baby on the “chair of Elijah” (see below). (2) Lifting the baby from the “chair of Elijah” and placing him on the lap of the sandak. (3) After the circumcision, holding the baby while standing during the recitation of the blessings and the naming of the baby. (4) Reciting the blessings and announcing the baby’s name. At times, the blessings and the name are recited by two different honorees.

It is customary that all the functionaries at a circumcision (apart from the couple serving as kvatter) should wear a ritual shawl [tallit]. Some have the custom for the father of the child and the sandak to also don phylacteries [tefillin].

Further reading: For how to don a tallit, see p. 583; for how to don tefillin, see p. 592.

The circumcision begins when the baby is brought to the place where the ceremony will be performed, with the congregation standing.

The text presented below is the one accepted by most Ashkenazic communities in Israel. There are only minor variations in the Sephardic version, except for one significant change, which involves the recitation of the blessing, “…to bring him into the covenant of Abraham.” This difference will be noted below.

The mohel announces:

“Blessed be the one who has arrived.”

The mohel then recites:

“Happy is the one You choose to bring near You to dwell in Your Sanctuary” (Psalms 65:5), and the congregation responds with the conclusion of that verse:

“May we be sated by the bounty of Your House, the holiness of Your Temple” (Psalms 65:5).

After the baby has been handed over to his father by the kvatter, the father, followed by the congregation, recites these verses out loud. (Ashkenazim outside Israel do not recite these verses):

“Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Congregation repeats after him.

“The Lord reigns, the Lord reigned, the Lord will reign forever and ever.” Congregation repeats.

“The Lord reigns, the Lord reigned, the Lord will reign forever and ever.” Congregation repeats.

“Lord, save us, we beseech You!” (Psalms 118:25). Congregation repeats.

“Lord, save us, we beseech You!”Congregation repeats.

“Lord, grant us success, we beseech You!” (Psalms 118:25). Congregation repeats.

“Lord, grant us success, we beseech You!” Congregation repeats.

Some mohalim add the following verses at this point:

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Pinhas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the priest, has caused My wrath to be withdrawn from the children of Israel, in that he was zealous on My behalf among them, that I did not destroy the children of Israel in My zealotry. Therefore, say: Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:10–12).

The father places the baby on “the chair of Elijah,” which is where the sandak will sit while holding the baby on his knees. This chair is dedicated to Elijah the prophet, who according to the Sages is called “the angel of the covenant [of circumcision],” because he is present in spirit at every circumcision.

The mohel declares:

“This is the chair of Elijah the prophet, may his memory be a blessing. ‘For your salvation, I await, Lord’ (Genesis 49:18). ‘I await Your salvation, Lord, and I have fulfilled Your commandments’ (Psalms 119:166). Elijah, angel of the covenant, behold what is yours is before you, stand on my right side and support me. ‘I hope for Your salvation, Lord’ (Psalms 119:166). ‘I rejoice at Your sayings, as one who finds great spoils’ (Psalms 119:162). ‘Those who love Your teaching know great peace; for them there is no obstacle’ (Psalms 119:165). ‘Happy is the one You choose to bring near You to dwell in Your Sanctuary. May we be sated by the bounty of Your House, the holiness of Your Temple’” (Psalms 65:5).

At this point the baby is placed on the lap of the sandak, and the circumcision is performed while he is lying there. Since the obligation to perform the circumcision is incumbent upon the father of the infant, the father should appoint the mohel as his agent to circumcise his son for him. Some have the custom to state this explicitly:

“I hereby appoint you as an agent for fulfilling my mitzva to circumcise my son.”

The mohel finishes preparing the baby for the circumcision, and recites the blessing:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision.”

The mohel then cuts the foreskin, and immediately afterward, before the mohel starts executing peri’ah (the removal of a thin layer of skin), the father recites the blessing:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham.”

The father then adds the Sheheheyanu blessing. However, outside of Israel, Ashkenazic custom is not to recite this blessing. In Sephardic communities in Israel, the accepted custom is for the father of the infant to recite this blessing before the baby is placed on the lap of the sandak.

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”

Congregation:

“Amen. Just as he has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into Torah knowledge, the wedding canopy, and good deeds.”

The mohel continues to care for the baby and soothes him. Meanwhile, the recitation of the blessings resumes. One of the congregants is given the honor to hold the baby while standing, and another is called upon to recite the blessings. The mohel himself may be the one who recites the blessings.

The individual who recites the blessings holds a cup of wine in his hand and says:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.”

According to the Sephardic custom, he also recites a blessing over spices:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates various spices.”

He continues with the following blessing:

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who sanctified the beloved one [Isaac] from the womb, marked the decree in his flesh, and gave his descendants the seal and the sign of the holy covenant. Therefore, as a reward for this, the living God, our Portion, commanded to deliver the beloved of our flesh from destruction, for the sake of His covenant that He set in our flesh. Blessed are You, Lord, who establishes the covenant.”

The baby is then blessed and named. The one reciting the following blessing pauses after the words: “And his name shall be called in Israel…,” at which point the father whispers the name of the baby in his ear or hands him a note on which the name is written. The person reciting the blessing then says the baby’s name out loud and continues with the recitation of this paragraph:

“Our God and God of our fathers, preserve this child for his father and mother, and his name shall be called in Israel [his Hebrew name], son of [father’s Hebrew name]. May the father rejoice in his offspring, and his mother be glad with the fruit of her womb, as it is written: ‘Your father and your mother will rejoice, and she who bore you will be happy’ (Proverbs 23:25). And it is stated: ‘I passed by you and I saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live; I said to you: In your blood, you shall live’ (Ezekiel 16:6). And it is stated: ‘He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He ordained for a thousand generations, which He made with Abraham; and His oath to Isaac. He set it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel as an everlasting covenant’ (Psalms 105:8–10). And it is stated: ‘Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him’ (Genesis 21:4). ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness is forever’” (Psalms 118:1).

The congregation repeats:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness is forever.”

The one reciting the blessing continues:

“May this small child [baby’s name], son of [father’s Hebrew name], grow and become great. Just as he has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into Torah knowledge, the marriage canopy, and good deeds.”

The one reciting the blessing then drinks from the cup of wine in his hand. The mohel proceeds to recite a prayer for the health of the baby and the woman who gave birth. At the conclusion of the circumcision ceremony, many have the custom to recite the Aleinu prayer, which can be found in all prayer books at the conclusion of each of the three daily prayers.

After the circumcision, the mohel instructs the parents on the proper care for the baby. Many mohalim will return in person to examine the circumcision wound and remove the bandage.

When two babies are circumcised in immediate succession, as with twin boys, the above blessings need not be recited more than once.

Many have the custom in such cases to perform two completely separate ceremonies. If so, there should be some sort of break between the two circumcisions; they should not be carried out one immediately after the other.