Mohel

The mohel (plural: mohalim) is the person who performs the brit milah, the circumcision of a Jewish boy. The word comes from a Hebrew root meaning “to cut.” The commandment is written in the Torah: “And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days” (Genesis 17:12), and “On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised” (Leviticus 12:3). So the mohel is not just a service provider: he or she carries out a religious act on behalf of the family, before the gathered community.

1Who can be a mohel?

The Shulchan Arukh (Yoreh De’ah 264:1) rules that any Jew is fit to circumcise, but that if there is an adult Jewish man who knows how, he takes precedence over the others. It adds that some say a woman does not circumcise, and that the custom is to prefer a man. The Rema adds that one should seek out the best and most devout mohel. In today’s practice, most families use a mohel who is trained and recognized by their community, and your rabbi can usually recommend one. In some liberal circles women also serve as mohalot, which is a practice of those movements.

2The eighth day, Shabbat included

The circumcision is not performed before sunrise on the eighth day after birth; the whole day is valid, but those who are zealous do it early in the morning (Yoreh De’ah 262:1). When it takes place at its proper time, the brit milah is performed even on Shabbat or Yom Tov (Yoreh De’ah 266:2). Only the act itself overrides Shabbat: whatever could have been prepared the day before, such as the knife, does not justify breaking Shabbat (same source). The mohel handles these preparations, so ask what needs to be ready before Shabbat begins.

3The mohel during the ceremony

The mohel says a blessing over the circumcision, and the father says another (Yoreh De’ah 265:1). According to the Rema, the person holding the baby, the sandak, remains seated, while the mohel and the father stand. Those present then say: “Just as you brought him into the covenant, so may you bring him into Torah, to the chuppah, and to good deeds.” An old custom is to set a chair for Elijah, called “the angel of the covenant” (Yoreh De’ah 265:11), and mohalim customarily pray on the day of the brit (same source). A seudah, a festive meal, usually follows (Yoreh De’ah 265:12).

4Across communities

• The commandment and the eighth day are shared by everyone: Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, and secular Israeli families.
• The night before the brit, many families gather: it is called a “Vach Nacht” in Ashkenazi custom and a “Brit Yitzhak” in Sephardic custom. These are customs, not obligations, and they vary from family to family.
• The place (home, synagogue, hall), the time, the songs, and the food belong to each family and community, especially among Mizrahi families, depending on the country of origin: follow your family’s and your rabbi’s practice.
• In secular or lightly observant Israeli families, the brit milah is often a central gathering with guests of every background, so a short explanation on the spot is always welcome.

5What this means for an invitation

• The date depends on the birth (the eighth day), on Shabbat or a holiday, and on the baby’s health: allow for it to move, and say so to your guests.
• Give the place and the arrival time: the ceremony usually starts promptly, depending on the mohel.
• If the brit falls on Shabbat or Yom Tov, say it plainly: guests who observe Shabbat will not drive or use their phones, and need to know. Tov flags Shabbat and Yom Tov for the organizer.
• Do not present the mohel as just another vendor: naming him or her is optional, and a word of respect is enough.