The first commandment our forefather Abraham received was the commandment of circumcision. Circumcision is the sign of sacred union with G-d on the body of the Jew.

Circumcision is one of the most important commandments of the Torah. Every Jew is obligated to circumcise his son who is born a Jewess.
If the child has no father, the obligation to fulfill this commandment rests with relatives and friends of the family.

The brit milah ceremony is performed on the eighth day after the baby is born. The reason for postponing the day of circumcision is health problems where the procedure may aggravate the child’s condition. In this case, the circumcision should be done as soon as the boy’s health recovers.

A Jew who was not circumcised as a child is obligated to take care of his own circumcision when he grows up. If he fails to fulfill this commandment, his soul will be removed from the nation, as it is written, “The soul of the uncircumcised man who does not circumcise his foreskin shall be destroyed from his people, for he has broken My covenant” (Bereishit 17:14).

A mohel is a person who performs circumcision. When choosing a mohel, it is important to remember that it should be a trusted professional with a lot of experience.

A sandak is a person who sits on a special chair, on whose lap the infant lies during circumcision. The sandak can only be a Jew, often the grandfather of the child (i.e. the father of the child’s father).

The circumcision of an infant is a big event in the family. Jewish law requires that a festive meal be served after the circumcision, and this meal includes all those who were present at the ceremony, since it is a great mitzvah.

An adult who decides to be circumcised can count on a great blessing from above. G-d greatly appreciates determination and courage when a person makes a conscious decision to fulfill such a commandment.