Rabbi Michael Rovinsky

Traditionally, the parents engage a mohel to perform the Bris. A mohel is a person who is specially trained in the medical and surgical techniques of circumcision. In addition to being an expert in his field, the mohel is also an expert in the Jewish laws pertaining to Bris Milah. A doctor’s medical circumcision, usually performed in the hospital within the first few days after birth, does not fulfill the requirements of a Bris Milah and is not considered valid according to Jewish law. The Bris must be performed by a Jewish person who understands, upholds and practices the tenets of the Jewish religion and is specially trained to function as a mohel. It is important to choose a Mohel with whom you feel comfortable, someone who will be accommodating to the specific needs of the family. Pediatricians, obstetricians and urologists constantly marvel at the work of a good mohel. I personally feel that in order to be considered an expert Mohel, it is necessary to spend a significant amount of time in training and apprenticing in order to become familiar with the many challenging variations of the Bris area and its impact on how the Bris must be performed in each case.

Another reason to use a mohel is to guarantee that the technique used to perform the Bris is acceptable in Jewish law and not the standard procedure used in hospitals.

This is the most important and most frequently asked question of me. As a Mohel, who is judged every day by the sounds the baby makes both during and after the circumcision, it is one that I do not take lightly. The “success” of a Mohel is generally judged in three areas: 1. The baby’s comfort during and after the circumcision; 2. The ceremony; and 3. The Pediatrician’s evaluation of the circumcision.

Many studies have been performed to try to ascertain how much pain the baby feels. I myself participated in one that measured the difference in the baby’s discomfort level when the hospital/doctor were used vs the technique a kosher Mohel uses. The results were startling. There were signs of minimal discomfort with our technique and severe discomfort with the standard medical techniques. This is because the Mohel is a specialist, an expert at his profession. An active Mohel will possess much more experience than most doctors. A doctor will strap the baby down on a molded plastic bodyboard placed on a table, use a very painful clamp (Plasti-bell or GOMCO) and the procedure may take up to twenty minutes or longer, depending on the ability of the individual doing the circumcision.

The approach I use is to place the baby on a pillow and not strap him down. The instrument I use to perform the circumcision is not the same instrument used by a doctor. It is much more efficient with better results. Most importantly, a procedure should never take more than 30 seconds.

There are topical creams, ointments and penile blocks that are available. As a Mohel with the technical expertise to perform adult circumcisions, as well as infants, I am able to use them but they all have some drawbacks on a newborn that far out weigh any benefit. I do use a special numbing agent following the Bris. There are also a variety of non-pharmacological interventions that may be used very effectively, alone or in conjunction with the other approaches for treatment of procedural pain in neonates. It is my goal to provide the most effective pain management for your baby. I am familiar with most of the studies undertaken to determine the safety and effectiveness of interventions to relieve pain associated with neonatal circumcision. I would be happy to discuss each approach with you.

easycircumcision.com

Have you ever met a barbarian with a Bris? Have you ever met a barbarian with a Bris?