Circumcision is a kind of agreement between the Jewish people and the Almighty. This surgery is done for a variety of reasons: social, religious, national, or medical. Circumcision is the first duty of a father to his son.
The Brit Milah Commandment
There are several versions of why such a tradition appeared - to circumcise newborn Jewish boys. According to one of them, this is done for reasons of hygiene, put forward and substantiated by the theologian Philo of Alexandria. Subsequently, studies have indeed confirmed the fact that circumcision is beneficial from a hygienic point of view and protects against disease. But this is far from the main reason why it is made.
A more widespread version says that the Jews made a donation for the sake of a commandment, as an example of which “brit milah” is given - one of the commandments of the Torah. “Britmila” means “circumcision as a sign of union” - the union of the people of Israel with the Most High. Circumcision is the sign of this union. It is believed that the Most High chose such a place for the fulfillment of the commandment for a reason. At this point, the body is not damaged, on the contrary, circumcision in this place benefits the human body.
The operation is done no earlier than on the eighth day of the baby's life, sometimes on the ninth or tenth day. It is a sign of his belonging to the Jewish people throughout his life. Sometimes the commandment is violated and circumcision is not performed on the eighth day, for example, if a child is sick. Then it is done on the eighth day after the boy's recovery, since in this case, recovery is equated to being born again. According to the commandment, the operation can be performed at any time of the day, but it is usually done in the morning, after the morning prayer.
Circumcision order
Itzhak was the first infant in the history of mankind who was circumcised. According to the commandment, after circumcision, it is customary to have a small festive meal, as Yitzchak's father did. Circumcision is usually performed in a synagogue. Circumcision consists of three parts: mila, pria and mezitsa, and only a special person who has permission to do so can perform it - a mogel. A special honor is given to a person who holds a boy in his arms during circumcision, he is called a sandak.
All those present at the ceremony are required to stand up when the child is brought in and say: "Welcome!" When the sandak takes the baby in his arms, the mogel begins to pronounce the blessing. Then, when the mogel directly circumcises, the blessing is pronounced by the father of the newborn. There is a tradition after circumcision to drink wine and pour a drop into the child's mouth. The main characters, of course, after the baby himself - his father, the mogul and the sandak - dress, according to tradition, in "tallit".
Mogel, wielding an ordinary surgical instrument, cuts off the foreskin of the baby's penis, then sucks the blood with the help of a special tube, after which the penis is sprinkled with worn powder of rotted wood, the so-called pulver. Upon completion of the circumcision procedure, everyone present shouts "Mazl tov!" -and congratulate the parents of the baby. After that, he is given a name, usually a traditional Hebrew.
