A Bris is a beautiful religious life cycle event, the baby's Jewish name is announced and a festive meal is served following the ceremony.
A minyan is not required for a Bris. The only people who are required to be present are the father, Mohel, and a sandek - the person who holds the baby while the circumcision is performed. The baby is placed on a specially designated chair called the Chair of Elijah. We welcome Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the Prophet) as a guest of honor at all Bris's. He is called the "Angel of the Covenant" and is considered the guardian of all the children. According to Jewish tradition, Elijah will someday announce the coming of the Messiah.
The Brit Milah ceremony is composed of three main parts:
Blessing and Circumcision - We welcome the baby to the Brit Milah ceremony with the same words that we welcome a groom to the wedding canopy: Baruch HaBah!
Kiddush & Naming
Seudat Mitzvah - It is customary to explain for whom the baby was named and to offer a few words of Torah in honor of the Bris.
Some Bris honors include:
Gefaterin (God mother)
Gefater (God father)
Kiseh Shel Eliyahu (Chair of Elijah)
Sandek (holds baby during Bris)
Standing Sandek (holds baby during brochos and naming of baby)
The brochos and naming of the baby is usually reserved for the Rabbi
The ceremony is brief and lasts about ten minutes. The actual Bris takes approximately thirty seconds and should never take any longer than that. At a traditional Bris, the baby is placed on a double pillow on the lap of the Sandak, not on a table or strapped down. A Mohel is obligated by Jewish law not to do anything that increases the discomfort or difficulty to the baby. Conversely, the Mohel must have the quickest, most gentle and most compassionate way to perform the Bris.
