Organizing a brit milah with Tov: the name, the moments, Shabbat
A brit milah comes together fast and with care. Writing “The parents”, what Tov does with the baby’s name, the suggested moments and the Shabbat alert.
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This article touches on Jewish practice. It sticks to widely shared reference points and has not yet been reviewed by a rabbi: if in doubt, ask yours.
A brit milah is often prepared in a few days. In Tov, you choose the “brit milah” celebration, write who is inviting, place the ceremony and the meal, then send. Here is what differs from the other celebrations.
The baby’s name
For a brit milah, the names field is called “The parents”: As on the invitation card, for example “Sarah & David Attal”. Tov has no “baby’s name” field and never displays it by itself.
According to the custom of many families, the child’s name is announced during the ceremony: the invitation then speaks of “our son”, without naming him. If you wish to write it, you can do so in “Your words”; Tov does not prevent it, and does not guess it.
The suggested moments
- The brit milah: “Everyone” by default.
- The seudah (the celebratory meal): “By invitation” by default, suggested one hour after the brit. Invite the households you wish.
- For a brit bat (zeved habat) and for a pidyon haben, Tov offers no moment: add them with “Another moment”.
If the date falls on a Shabbat or a Yom Tov
A brit milah takes place in principle on the eighth day, even on a Shabbat. So Tov does not warn you of a problem; it gives you information for your guests: “Observant guests will come on foot: think of those who live far away.” On a Shabbat, you can plan the time accordingly: Tov calculates when Shabbat begins and ends at the place of the celebration.
A pidyon haben, on the other hand, gets the usual warning: “Observant guests will not be able to come. Check the date and time.” For details of what Tov calculates, see the article on Shabbat, Yom Tov and Omer.
Choosing the design
Several designs are made for births: compare them with your names in the creation flow. Once the invitation is published, send it household by household on WhatsApp: each one receives a personal link.
The date of a brit depends on the birth: you can start the invitation by checking “I don’t know the date yet”. You will be asked for the date before publishing.
What’s next?
- Step by step
Shabbat, Yom Tov, Omer: what Tov flags, and why
Tov checks your date against the Jewish calendar and warns you: Shabbat, Yom Tov, Omer, Three Weeks. What it checks, confirms, and leaves to your rabbi.
- Step by step
The moments of your celebration, and who sees them
A moment is one part of the celebration with its own day, time, place, and audience: “Everyone” or “By invitation”. How to choose them and who sees what.
- Step by step
Your words, a verse, בס״ד: and why the divine Name is written ה׳
Writing a note to your guests, choosing a verse or a blessing, adding בס״ד, signing with your titles: what Tov offers and how it handles the divine Name.
A mistake, an outdated sentence? Write to us: a real person reads it.
Report a mistake on this pageWhat’s next?
An invitation true to your traditions.
In 4 languages, with Hebrew set the way it should be and replies tracked household by household.