Shalom! This is Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg of the [Foreign Language] Jewish corrugation. This video is about how we welcome babies in the world.
First of all, we do not consider babies to be kneading, to get rid of sin. Like other religious traditions. We believe babies are born with a pure soul. All we want to do is to welcome them in to the covenant of Abraham and Sarah.
Now for boy of course, that goes to biblical origins of circumcision. And everyone once in awhile some group says circumcision is not necessary or medical indicated or some anti somatic group of the specifically vicious about it. But more and more the evidences that god knew what god was doing when as for there to be circumcision.
For example they just did a study of aids prevention in Africa and the study was so conclude and so they stop in the middle of the study. Because circumcise man have much, much more resistance to HIV than uncircumcised man. Just one example, in prevention of certain kinds of cancer in woman, any case, we do not do it for medical reasons we do it for religious reasons.
God ordained that on the eight day, every Jewish male should be circumcised. Isaac was the first Jewish baby. At that is usually done by a Mohel, somebody who is specially prepared and trained to do this. In smaller communities often it Jewish doctor will take that role and the conservative movement as special training programs to train physicians on how to do this.
The circumcision ceremony is called Britmilah. People call it known as a Bris. But Bris is the [Foreign Language] of saying Brit and that simply means covenant. The critical word release Milah which is the circumcision.
You tell us on the eight day including the day of birth, so if it is Monday, it is a Monday. And we never ever prevent it or do anything to not be on the 8th day even if it is [Foreign Language], only if there is a medical reason that you delay it.
And what happens? You invite anybody who want it or tradition people that will be invited they show up and now a days people are invited. You will need to get the Mohel if you have a Rabbi, it is good to have the rabbi there if possible. And the Samoi consist of two parts. First the Kovateri and Kovaterin the spiritual God parents bring the baby in. You welcome the baby and then, the Mohel will prepare the baby and good Mohel will do it very quickly. The parents have to be authorizing the Mohel to fulfill them because otherwise it falls on the father. There is a Brahah the Mohel says, Brahah the parents say to welcome the baby into the covenant and then everybody says [Foreign Language] the breed, the king, [Foreign Language].
Just as this babies been entering in the covenant, some made the baby be entered into a life of Torah of Hopah then wedding canopy and good deeds.
And then the second half is the name and the couple and the Ashkinatic tradition usually named the baby after I deceased relative and this far the community usually after a living relative. The Hebrew name Ben or Bat for a Bris is of course of Ben son of the parents Hebrew names.
Now if the mother is not Jewish, the baby will need to be circumcised for the purpose of its conversion and go to a mikful later. And, the Mohel can actually do that by just adding or ordered to.
In addition, because it is a medical procedure, there is a mishabarahk healing prayer do unusually by the Mohel.
One thing that happens that is interesting at the beginning of the Bris ceremony is the special chair is designated for Elijah the prophet, the guardian of little babies called [Foreign Language] and the chair of Elijah and special prayer made.
There is a person will holds the baby or now a days kind of the baby is usually put in a certain restraining devices will that the person holding the baby actually puts their hand over their head and next the sun dock usually one of the grand fathers.
And yes, many Mohel lean well to use a topical air aesthetic to dull the pain over but it really is not very much pain, the baby is just to only to be fuss with.
Now in the naming ceremony after the name is given, there is a blessing with the cup of wine to do it. And the parents can open for your free to speak about why they named the baby what they did. The ceremony then concludes with the prissily benediction and singing a rejoicing sing of course food, the [Foreign Language].
Now for girls, on the tradition a wise Ashkinatic world , the European Jewish world that the father and come in the synagogue when the Torah was red and recite an Alliah and the baby’s name would be mentioned then. But about two generations ago, Jewish couples mostly outside the Orthodox who became to feel that was not enough for there should be more for a girl. And so that, the tradition is develop of naming ceremony, [Foreign Language].
Not necessary got on the eight day, but is very unusual, my daughter is not 21 and when she was born it was very unusual to do this made a film maker come and film the baby naming are actually play at the Amsterdam George Museum for awhile, 21 years ago.
Any case, there is really no set liturgy. We try and follow the format of the covenanting and the naming. Isaac for example, a couple comes to me for a baby naming I send them an email version and they are very free to change it the way they like, and singing and of course celebration.
So I hope that explains the basics of the Jewish naming and covenanting. Please consult your Rabbi for more detail information.
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