Services
Infant Bris Milah
The full ceremony on the eighth day — at home, at shul, or wherever your family gathers. Mazel tov.
What is included
One call arranges everything. From the moment we speak, the Bris is my responsibility to organize, and yours to enjoy.
- An unhurried consultation with both parents beforehand
- Working out the correct eighth day with you, exactly
- All sterile, single-use instruments, brought by me
- Guidance on the ceremony, the honors and the naming
- The full ceremony conducted according to halacha
- Written aftercare instructions in plain language
- A follow-up check in the days afterwards
- The seudas bris arranged, if you would like
- My direct number, available to you at any hour
The eighth day
The Bris takes place on the eighth day of the baby’s life, counted from the day of birth — including Shabbos and Yom Tov, where the birth was natural and the baby is well.
Because the Jewish day begins at sunset, a baby born in the evening may have a different eighth day than parents expect. Tell me the exact date and time of birth and I will work it out with you.
A Bris is performed by day, and as early in the day as is practical — the Tur and Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 262) write to be zealous and perform it close to sunrise, on the principle of zerizin makdimin l’mitzvos.
The ceremony
What actually happens
The gathering usually runs far longer than the Bris itself. The procedure is brief; the ceremony, blessings and naming together typically take around fifteen minutes. Here is the shape of it, so nothing is a surprise.
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The honors
Families traditionally give honors — the kvatter and kvatterin who bring the baby in, the sandek who holds him, and others. We go over all of this beforehand so everyone knows where to stand and what to do.
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The blessings and the Bris
The blessings are recited, and the Bris itself is performed. It is over quickly. I work calmly and without rushing, and I explain what I am doing to whoever wants to know.
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The naming
Your son is given his Hebrew name, with the blessing that he grow to Torah, to chuppah, and to good deeds. For most families this is the moment they remember.
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The seudah
The festive meal that follows is part of the mitzvah. I am glad to stay, and glad to answer any question a guest or grandparent wants to ask.
The seudah
Seudas bris
The meal after the Bris is part of the mitzvah, not an addition to it. Every family should have one, and no family should have to explain why they cannot.
I can arrange the seudah for you — it simply has to be ordered in advance. There are three ways to do it, and where the cost is a difficulty, for whatever reason, there is often a sponsor. It is arranged quietly and it stays between us.
Afterwards
Healing and aftercare
Before I leave, I show you exactly how to care for the area and what is normal to see over the following days. You will have it in writing as well — nobody remembers instructions given on the morning of a simcha.
Babies typically settle quickly and feed normally. Healing is usually straightforward and well advanced within a week. I check in with you during those days, and if anything at all concerns you before then, you call me. There is no such thing as bothering me about this.
Let’s speak.
No obligation, and no question is too small. Call whenever suits you.