Rabbi Yehoshua Krohn | Board Certified Mohel
(Ritual Circumciser) | Bris-Brit-Circumcision

Book My Bris!

What You Need to Know About the Bris/Ritual Circumcision 

Pick The Mohel's Brains

Ever wonder what to ask? Get me on the phone and ask it all...here's a list you can print...

  • 1 How do we figure the proper day and time?
  • 2 And what if we can't do it that day?
  • 3 Sabbath/Holiday Bris possible? What's involved?
  • 4 We want it kinda private. Is that ok?
  • 5 Need a Minyan (ten Jewish people)?
  • 6 Do we need to ask a Rabbi to come, in addition to the Mohel?
  • 7 What credentials do you have?
  • 8 Are you a doctor or connected with a hospital?
  • 9 What's with that thing that has been in the news lately? Do you do that?
  • 10 Any special kind of Food? Kosher food? Do we even need food?
  • 11 What will we owe you for your service?
  • 12 How clean is this going to be? Sterility?
  • 13 What do we need to set up for the circumcision and the post care?
  • 14 Will you come back to check out the little man?
  • 15 Can we reach you if we have any concerns?
  • 16 Will our son feel much pain?
  • 17 Can you make it pain free?
  • 18 Will you pay for the Bar-Mitzvah? (just checking if you're there)
  • 19 Will you include my non-Jewish spouse/family?
  • 20 Can toddlers be around during the ceremony?
  • 21 How do we choose a Hebrew name?
  • 22 Will you give him the Hebrew name at the Bris?
  • 23 Can you name our daughter also?
  • 24 How do we include our family and friends?
  • 25 Can we have NO ONE touch the baby?
  • 26 Will you explain the significance of it all?
  • 27 Do you include English is the service?
  • 28 We are not fond of jokes. Can you keep it solemn?
  • 29 I can't bear watching. Must I? May I leave the room?
  • 30 What did I forget to ask?
Participants

"Your People"

  • 1 At least one woman carries the baby into the room.
  • 2 At least one man takes over from her bringing the baby closer to the area where the Bris will take place.
  • 3 One man places the baby upon one of two chairs called "The Chair of Eliyahu (Elijah).
  • 4 One person assists in holding the baby during the circumcision.
  • 5 Family members hold the baby while a blessing is said over the cup of wine and his name is announced.
Prepare This List

MAZEL TOV!!

Please prepare the following items and have them all together before the designated BRIS time.

  • 1 A table at least the size of a bridge table (for instruments only).
    A kitchen or dining room table will also serve this purpose.
  • 2 Two regular sized bed pillows, freshly covered with regular cotton pillow covers (do not have to be fancy or white).
  • 3 Small garbage can with plastic bag liner, placed underneath table.
  • 4 Six cloth diapers, any type, or hand towels.
  • 5 Three disposable diapers.
  • 6 Large package baby wipes.
  • 7 A small bottle of kosher sweet wine (babies do not generally go for the fancier wines). A Kiddush Cup (optional).
  • 8 Five plastic disposable cups, seven ounces or larger.
  • 9 Three dozen sterile 3x3 absorbent gauze pads (Not plastic-coated gauze).
  • 10 Three ounces Bacitracin (tube may also say Bacitracin Zinc) ointment, (not triple or double ointment combinations if possible).
  • 11 One thin receiving blanket and one bottle of formula, if you are not nursing.
  • 12 One tallis (prayer shawl) and yarmulkes (kipot) if available.
  • 13 For Twins: only double the cloth and disposable diapers, gauze, ointment, cups and blanket.
  • 14 IMPORTANT NOTE:

The baby’s comfort is directly connected with his feeding prior to the Bris.
The goal is that there should be no feeding about an hour before the set Bris time.Therefore, please awaken the baby and feed him about an hour and a half
before the scheduled Bris time so that his feeding is completed by about one hour before this scheduled time.

Please advise of allergies to latex, iodine or wine.

Postcare (After Bris/Circumcision Care)

It is of utmost importance to keep the area clean.

  • 1 Until area is completely healed, wash your hands with soap before each diaper change.
  • 2 At every change during the first 24 hrs. apply over existing wrapped dressing, a 3x3 gauze pad to which has been applied a LIBERAL amount of Bacitracin ointment.
  • 3 Wrapped dressing may fall off within first day. If there is no bleeding just continue gauze pad/ointment applications as above through duration of first 24 hrs. If significant bleeding is present apply only dry gauze, with light pressure, and CALL MOHEL IMMEDIATELY.
  • 4 After the wrapped dressing is removed (see removal instructions below) the gauze/ointment is applied every change for one more day and then every other change for a third day, ie. one change with gauze/ointment, next change with nothing on area but diaper. After this period no gauze or ointment.
  • 5 Starting day after dressing removal, area is soaked in a warm clear tub once daily for a few minutes to keep area clean. Continue daily soaks until area is healed. During healing period, rinse area with water, only if defecated upon.
    Try to keep the umbilical cord out of the water during soaks and rinses.
  • 6 Swelling underneath the head of the penis is normal after dressing removal and may linger for a number of weeks.
  • 7 Baby is kept on his side or back for duration of Bris day as well as first few hrs. after dressing removal. (Please keep him out of carriers that strap on front or back of parents to avoid pressure on healing area, for at least a few weeks after Bris).
DRESSING REMOVAL

Wrapped dressing is removed in a tub of clear warm water after it has been on for 24 hrs. Wash out tub with liquid soap. Prepare a large bath towel, undershirt, 3 dry gauze, 1 ointment/ gauze & a disposable diaper. Soak circumcision area for a few moments to soften the dressing. Begin to unwind the wrap slowly but continuously. A patch of darkened colored coagulant will fall off the underside of the penis. This is not skin. It is part of the dressing. The squashed look of the penis will begin to look more normal in a few hours. Upon total removal of wrap, IMMEDIATELY place baby on towel on his back and apply one dry gauze over top of penis cupping the gauze while applying LIGHT pressure all around penis for a few seconds. Light bleeding is normal and will cease upon a few seconds of this pressure. Do not keep replacing gauze in an effort to stop bleeding, rather keep the same gauze in place, just lifting the gauze up after a minute to examine if bleeding has stopped and if not to continue holding pressure. Only when bleeding has stopped, remove dry gauze and then apply ointment/ gauze and then diaper as normal.

The redness and swelling often take a while to totally disappear. Expect to see three colors as the wound heals. During the first week or so a yellowish discharge occurs. The next stage is a white/not so sticky look. Finally, the area turns pink and the swelling begins to lessen as the circumcision area nears its full healing. Allow two to four weeks for this process.

IMPORTANT NOTE...

YOU ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO CALL AT ANYTIME THAT YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT YOUR MOHEL KNOWS YOUR SON’S BRIS OUTCOME FIRST HAND AND THAT IT IS WISE TO CALL THE MOHEL BEFORE YOU CALL ANYONE ELSE TO DISCUSS ANY CONCERNS. BE REASSURED THAT YOUR CALLS ARE ALWAYS RETURNED PROMPTLY AND AT ANY HOUR.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO CALL ME ON 800-BABY-BOY (800-222-9269) OR EMAIL TO [email protected]