What is a brit milah?
A brit milah (commonly called a bris) is the Jewish ritual of circumcision performed on a baby boy on his eighth day of life. The phrase means "covenant of circumcision," and it marks the child's entry into the covenant between God and the Jewish people that began with Abraham. It's performed by a trained specialist called a mohel and is one of the oldest continuously observed mitzvot in Judaism. It is, at heart, a sign of belonging and continuity across generations.
What happens at a brit milah?
- It takes place on the eighth day after birth (health permitting).
- A mohel performs the circumcision, accompanied by blessings.
- The baby is given his Hebrew name, and the family celebrates with a festive meal (seudat mitzvah).
What is the covenant behind it?
The brit milah goes back to the Torah's account of God's covenant with Abraham — circumcision as the enduring physical sign of that bond, carried by each generation. For baby girls, communities mark entry into the covenant and naming with a simchat bat or baby-naming ceremony. The brit is among the most ancient and widely kept Jewish practices, a tangible link in the chain of tradition.
In short: a brit milah (bris) is the covenant of circumcision performed on a boy's eighth day by a mohel — the sign of the covenant with Abraham and entry into the Jewish people.
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