Mishneh Torah, Circumcision 2

Hook

In the ancient, sun-drenched courtyards of the Sephardi and Mizrahi world, the Brit Milah is not merely a clinical procedure, but a dramatic, song-filled entry into the Covenant—a moment where the sharp edge of iron meets the tender beginning of a life, echoing the very flint stones of Zipporah in the desert.

Context

• Place: Across the vast geography of the Sephardi and Mizrahi diaspora—from the bustling, scholarly hubs of Fez and Cairo to the hidden, vibrant traditions of Aleppo and Baghdad.
• Era: Spanning the codification of the Mishneh Torah by the Rambam (12th-century Fustat) to the refined, authoritative rulings of Rav Yosef Karo’s Shulchan Aruch (16th-century Safed).
• Community: A tradition that views the mohel as a bridge between the physical act of cutting and the metaphysical act of hachnasah—bringing the child under the wings of the Shekhinah.

Text Snapshot

"Circumcision may be performed by anyone... If an adult male is not present, even a person who is not circumcised, a slave, a woman, or a minor may perform the circumcision. A gentile, however, should not be allowed to perform the circumcision at all... The optimum manner of performing the mitzvah is to use an iron utensil—either scissors or a knife. Throughout the Jewish community, it has become customary to use a knife." — Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Milah 2:1-2

Minhag & Melody

The Brit Milah in Sephardi and Mizrahi traditions is a sensory tapestry. While the halachah of the Rambam remains our foundational anchor, the practice is elevated by piyut and deep communal joy.

In many North African and Middle Eastern communities, the night before the Brit—known as the Zohar or Brit Yitzchak—is spent in vigil. Men gather to recite specific selections from the Zohar and biblical verses, creating a protective "fence" of holiness around the child. The melody of these recitations is often modal, rooted in the maqam tradition, utilizing the Hijaz scale to evoke a sense of yearning and sacred awe.

The mohel is not just a surgeon; he is a master of tradition. In the Sephardi world, the Kisseh Shel Eliyahu (The Chair of Elijah) is a focal point of the ceremony. It is tradition for the Sandak (the one holding the child) to sit on this ornate, often velvet-draped chair, which is believed to be visited by the Prophet Elijah, the "Angel of the Covenant."

Unlike some Ashkenazi customs where the mohel might perform in relative silence, the Sephardi Brit is famously vocal. As the milah (the cutting) begins, the community often breaks into the song "Baruch Haba" or specific piyutim that praise the beauty of the covenant. The metzitzah (suction) is handled with profound reverence; in many Sephardi circles, the use of a sanitized glass tube is the modern standard, reflecting the halachic flexibility Rambam himself championed when he wrote that the welfare of the child is paramount.

The piyut "Yismach Moshe" (Moses will rejoice) is frequently sung at the celebratory meal, connecting the joy of receiving the Torah at Sinai to the joy of the child entering the covenant of Abraham. The melodies used for these piyutim are often centuries old, passed down in the oral tradition of the hazzanim (cantors). They are rhythmic, celebratory, and intended to drown out any sound of the child’s distress, replacing it with the collective "Mazal Tov!" and the affirmation of the community. In the Sephardi lens, the Brit is not a private family matter; it is the entire community’s responsibility to welcome the nefesh (soul) of the newborn.

Contrast

A beautiful, respectful point of departure exists between the Sephardi practice and the later Ashkenazi development regarding the Sandak. In many Ashkenazi traditions, the Sandak is a position of honor held by one person throughout the entire ceremony. In many Sephardi and Mizrahi communities, there is a practice of Kibbudim (honors) where multiple people are given parts: one person holds the child during the Brachot, another is the Sandak for the actual act, and another might be the one who carries the child into the room. This reflects a communal ethos where the "weight" of the mitzvah is shared among the elders and family members, ensuring that the entire community is physically and spiritually invested in the child’s entry into the covenant. Neither is superior; the Ashkenazi practice emphasizes the singular, stable bond of the Sandak, while the Sephardi practice emphasizes the collective embrace of the extended family.

Home Practice

Even if you are not a mohel, you can adopt the practice of the "Elijah’s Chair" in spirit. Dedicate a specific, beautiful chair in your home during the week of a child's birth (or any life transition). Place a book of Tehillim (Psalms) or a volume of the Zohar on it. Whenever you pass it, pause for a moment of silence to recite the traditional blessing: "Zeh Kisseh Shel Eliyahu HaNavi, Zachur LaTov" (This is the chair of Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good). This simple act transforms a piece of furniture into a vessel for the presence of the covenant, connecting your modern home to the historical continuity of our people.

Takeaway

The Rambam’s Hilchot Milah reminds us that the Brit is both a rigorous legal requirement and a profound act of human compassion. It is a mitzvah that allows for the involvement of the many, the use of simple, humble tools, and a deep, melodic communal joy. To be part of this tradition is to recognize that we are always, at every generation, both the ones performing the act and the ones being brought into the eternal promise of the covenant.