Jewish Birth Rites (Cambridge International IGCSE Religious Studies)

The rituals of brit milah

What is brit milah?

• Jews observe many rituals throughout their lives, marking key events, including:

  • Brit milah
  • Bar Mitzvah
  • Bat Mitzvah
  • Marriage
  • Mourning rituals

• Brit milah is the Hebrew term used to describe the religious circumcision of boys when they are eight days old or of older males converting to Judaism:

  • It is carried out by a **mohel (male) or, in some Reform communities, a mohelet **(female)
  • Circumcision involves the** removal of the foreskin** and is a traditional Jewish practice
  • Circumcision dates back to the book of Genesis, when G-d commands Abraham to circumcise himself and his offspring as a sign of the covenant between Jews and G-d

What are the rituals of brit milah?

• There are certain practices that are common during the Brit Milah ceremony

  • During the ceremony, a male or female friend or relative will act as a messenger, or a kvatter

  • The female kvatter will hand the baby to the male kvatter, who will be wearing a tallit

  • He will carry the boy into a room where the males of the family are gathered

  • The child is placed on the lap of the sandek:

    • A sandek is someone chosen by the parents as a great honour and is often the grandfather

  • The mohel recites a blessing before the baby is circumcised:

blockquote “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy command­ments, and hast given us the command con­cerning circumcision”

• As soon as the mohel begins the circumcision, the father (or, in some cases, both parents) recites:

blockquote “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments, and hast commanded us to make our sons enter the covenant of Abraham our father”

• All people present then respond:

blockquote “Even as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah, the nuptial canopy, and into good deeds”

• The mohel then blesses a cup of wine and announces the baby’s name in Hebrew and English

• A drop of wine is placed on the baby’s tongue

• The circumcision is performed in front of a minyan

• The baby is placed on a cushion on an empty chair that is known as Elijah’s chair:

  • This represents an ancient belief that the spirit of Elijah visits every circumcision

• After the circumcision, the father receives a blessing

• During the Brit Milah, a prayer is said that shows the importance of the ceremony for a child’s relationship with G-d:

blockquote “That as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah, the marriage canopy and into good deeds”

Naming ceremonies in Judaism

What are Jewish naming ceremonies, and why are they important?

• Jewish naming ceremonies are important rites of passage that welcome a new baby into the Jewish community and give them their Hebrew name

  • A child’s Hebrew name is formally announced and given (according to traditional custom,for the first time) during the brit milah or brit bat ceremony
  • There are different ceremonies for baby boys and baby girls

• Baby boys have a brit milah (Covenant of Circumcision)

  • This takes place on the eighth day after birth, even if it falls on Shabbat or a festival day

    • The circumcision is performed by a mohel (a trained Jewish practitioner)
    • The baby is given their Hebrew name during the ceremony
    • The ceremony marks the sign of the covenant (brit) between G-d and the Jewish people
    • Naming marks the child’s entrance into the covenant
    • The family and friends gather for the celebration

• For baby girls, the ceremony is called simchat bat (joy of a daughter) in most Orthodox traditions

  • Usually, this takes place within the first month after birth, but there is no fixed date, and the timing can vary depending on family or synagogue custom

    • The ceremony may take place at home or in a synagogue
    • A baby girl is given her Hebrew name
    • Prayers, blessings and sometimes readings or songs are included
    • In some communities, the naming happens during a Torah reading in a synagogue
    • The ceremony welcomes the girl into the Jewish community
    • It celebrates the gift of life and G-d’s blessings

• The ceremony for baby girls in Reform or Liberal Judaism is known as Brit Bat(Covenant of a Daughter)

  • The difference between brit bat and simchat bat is that brit bat places more emphasis on the baby girl’s entrance into the covenant with G-d

    • Brit bat is likely to be more ritualised than simchat bat
    • It is designed to parallel Brit Milah for boys, highlighting gender equality and inclusion in the covenant
    • It may also include symbolic rituals, such as wrapping the baby girl in a tallit

Worked Example Give two reasons why the ceremony of Brit Milah takes place

[2 marks]

Final answer: Answer:

So that the baby can be given his Hebrew name [1 mark]

The ceremony represents the covenant (brit) between G-d and the Jewish people

and marks the child’s entrance into the covenant [1 mark]

Exam Hint For this section, there are certain things to be aware of that will help to support the preparation for this topic:

Tip	Why it helps
Use key terms	Shows strong subject knowledge
Explain the significance	Not just what happens but why it matters
Compare ceremonies	Shows depth of understanding
Refer to beliefs/Scripture	Supports evaluation and higher-level analysis
Practise exam formats	Builds confidence and accuracy