Bris and metzitzah at 13 ?!?!?!

When a 13 yr old boy has a bris, is he awake for it? also, he has a whole audience? or is he allowed a little privacy being that he's older and more developed?

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6019

Yeah I also think it seems to have originally been instituted for some medical purpose that is now obsolete, however there is what to be said for the fact that a number of major rishonim consider it an essential part of the mitzva. The rishonim who hold that it's necessary don't say "If you don't do it, the baby might have bleeding problems;" they say "If you don't do it, you haven't fulfilled the mitzvah of milah properly" (for a baby)

I said it before but some people seem to have missed it (either that or they are - quite legitimately - not trusting me on that. DH is a mohel and I wifed through all his training so I probably know more than most ladies about this stuff, but I also wouldn't take a random internet person's word for it...): Metzitza is NOT done on older patients, only on babies. Mohel-DH is not aware of any dissenting opinion on that. It seems to me that if yesterday's mohel wasn't aware of this, I'd seriously wonder how knowledgeable he is about his business in general...

Amother, the general consensus is that the boy/man needs to be awake and not anesthetized during the bris. Many will put on a topical such as lidocaine afterwards to numb the pain, but not before/during. I see absolutely no reason for any audience. Maybe to say amen to the bracha but you don't need a view to do that, it could be done behind a screen, I would like to assume that's how it's done when the nimol is no longer a baby.

why can't they use a local anesthetic or topical creme before the bris?

Enter Marina's post for "best Imamother quote of the year". Laughing

of course its not a blow job, duh. however I, in my warped mind associate

mouth on pe*nis= blowjob.
_________________
Death Is The Only Guarantee In Life.

I find it very disturbing. Imagine if someone took a picture on their cell phone and posted it. YUCK.

Get over yourselves. Maybe it's yuck and not necessary, but it's NOT s-exual.
_________________
Certified Childbirth Educator
Certified Pregnancy Massage Therapist
Certified Doula

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 17 2011 Posts: 6148

I read of a baby who died from this in March I think. He caught Herpes. He was not the first baby who died from this practice.

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 17 2008 Posts: 5069

Active Poster Joined: Sep 12 2011 Posts: 61