The Bris Ceremony

The bris ceremony starts with a kvatar, a couple who brings the baby forward.  It is a special merit for having children because it is said that since they are involved in this child come to his bris, they, too will be blessed with children.  The married couple carries the baby into the room. The woman then hands the baby over to her husband, who hands the baby over to someone, who places the baby on the Chair of Elijah.

It is said that Elijah the prophet comes to every bris.  There are two primary reasons for this: Because Elijah was a champion for the mitzvah of bris in his day, he was given the privilege to share in every bris. Another reason: Elijah will herald the messianic era. Since each child has the potential to help bring the Messiah, Elijah comes to greet the child who can help him bring the messianic era to all mankind.

After the child is placed on the Chair of Elijah, the father takes the baby and makes the mohel his proxy. (The father should perform the circumcision himself, if eh has the ability to do so.  Usually, though, the father appoints a mohel.)

The child is then placed on the lap of the sandek, the person who holds the baby for the actual circumcision. Being sandek is the greatest honor at a bris.

During the actual bris it is an auspicious time for prayer.  The baby's cry is a pure cry, which pierces the heavenly gate, and therefore the gate is open for others' prayers.

The baby is then named.  This is often the most emotional part of the ceremony.  Most Sephardic Jews name the child after the living. It is considered a special merit for long life, for the father, when he names his son after himself.  Many even name their son after a living grandfather or grandmother, so they too can have this special merit of long life.  Years ago, when my father was learning to become a mohel, he attended a Sephardic bris. During the naming ceremony, the baby's grandfather suddenly began waving his cane in anger when he realized that the baby was not named after him. Another name was quickly added to the baby's already lengthy apellation.

The Ashkenazic custom, however, is not to name the baby after the living.  If a child would be named after his living father, then it would be likely that the other children would address their brother by his name in the presence of their father.  This is problematic because part of the commandment to honor one's parents is the prohibition of addressing parents by their first name. It is even forbidden to address someone else who has the same name as one's parents in that parent's presence.

After the bris a festive meal is served. When Abraham circumcised his son he did so joyously and served a festive meal afterwards.  Bris is a joyous celebration of another Jewish child entering the covenant.  Should it not be celebrated with a feast?