Brit milah in Los Angeles

Mazal tov, it’s a boy! A mohel for your son’s bris

Rav Yaakov Nourollah of Bait Aaron offers brit milah free of charge for families who need it. If you searched for a mohel near me after your son was born, this page walks you through the bris, from the eighth day to the blessings and the naming.

Plan your son’s brisWhat happens at a bris

Free mohel

A bris for every Jewish boy

Rav Yaakov Nourollah

Rav Yaakov Nourollah is the son of HaRav Moshe Nourollah, the Rav of Bait Aaron in Beverly Hills. He offers brit milah free of charge for families who need it, because no Jewish boy should go without his bris for any reason, least of all cost.

Religious, traditional or not observant at all, you are welcome. We will explain every step, answer your questions without judgment, and help you plan a bris that feels right for your family.

The mitzvah

What is a bris?

A bris, in Hebrew brit milah, is the Jewish circumcision ceremony. Brit means covenant, and milah means circumcision.

Hashem told Avraham Avinu, our father Abraham, to circumcise himself and his sons as a sign of an eternal covenant, and Avraham gave his son Yitzchak a bris at eight days old. For close to four thousand years, Jewish parents in every generation and every country have done the same. When your son has his bris, he joins that same chain, linked to his parents, grandparents and every Jew before him.

A bris is more than a procedure. It is a joyful ceremony with blessings, family honors, a cup of wine, the first time your son’s Hebrew name is said aloud, and a festive meal with the people you love.

Timing

The eighth day

Counting the days

The bris is on the eighth day of the baby’s life, counting the day he was born. A boy born on a Tuesday has his bris the next Tuesday. The Jewish day starts at sunset, so a baby born on Tuesday evening after sunset counts as born on Wednesday. Tell the mohel the exact time of birth.

During the day

A bris is held in the daytime, and many families hold it in the morning, out of eagerness to do the mitzvah as early as possible.

Even on Shabbat and Yom Kippur

A bris on its proper eighth day takes place even on Shabbat, Yom Tov and Yom Kippur. A delayed bris is not held on those days, and some births, such as a C-section, can change the rules. The mohel will guide you.

When the baby needs more time

Health comes first. If the baby has jaundice or is not well, the bris waits until he is healthy. The mohel examines the baby, and the mohel and your doctor decide together.

The bris ceremony

What happens at a bris

Most of the ceremony takes about fifteen minutes. Customs differ between families and communities, and the mohel will walk you through yours.

  • The night beforeMany families gather for Torah learning and prayers for the baby. Ashkenazi families often host a Shalom Zachar on the first Friday night after the birth.
  • The baby is brought inA couple honored as kvatterin and kvatter carry the baby in, and the guests greet him with “Baruch haba”, welcome.
  • The Chair of EliyahuThe baby is placed for a moment on a chair set aside for Eliyahu HaNavi, the prophet Elijah, who is said to attend every bris.
  • The sandekThe sandek, one of the highest honors, holds the baby on his lap during the milah. Many families give this honor to a grandfather or a respected Rav.
  • The milah and blessingsThe mohel says a blessing and performs the milah. The father says his own blessing, and everyone answers together.
  • The namingOver a cup of wine, a blessing is said for the baby, and his Hebrew name is announced for the first time.
  • The seudat mitzvahEveryone sits down to a festive meal, with words of Torah and a special Birkat Hamazon.

Bris prayers

Bris blessings, and what to say at a bris

You do not need to know any of this by heart. The mohel leads, and you can follow along with the words below.

The mohel’s blessing

Baruch Atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al hamilah.

Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, who made us holy with His mitzvot and commanded us concerning circumcision.

The father’s blessing

Baruch Atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hachniso bivrito shel Avraham Avinu.

…who commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Avraham our father. In Sephardic communities the father also says Shehecheyanu.

Everyone answers

Keshem shenichnas labrit, ken yikanes l’Torah ul’chupah ul’ma’asim tovim.

Just as he has entered the covenant, so may he enter into Torah, the wedding canopy and good deeds.

The naming prayer

Over a cup of wine, the Rav or mohel asks Hashem to keep the child healthy for his father and mother, and announces: v’yikarei shemo b’Yisrael, and his name in Israel shall be called. Guests answer Amen, and wish the family mazal tov.

Planning

How to plan a bris in Los Angeles

Choose the venue

The bris can be held at Bait Aaron or anywhere your family chooses.

  • At Bait Aaron, 301 S. La Peer Dr. Ask us about the Bait Aaron simcha hall.
  • At home: simple, warm and easy for a new mother.
  • At a hall or restaurant with a kosher caterer.
  • At the hospital, if the baby is still there on day eight. Hospitals have their own rules, so ask early.

Choose the honors

  • Sandek: holds the baby during the milah.
  • Kvatterin and kvatter: carry the baby in, often a married couple.
  • Other honors: placing the baby on the Chair of Eliyahu, holding him for the naming, and the blessings over the wine.

Choose a name

Ashkenazi families often name a baby after a relative who has passed away, and Sephardic families often name him after a living grandparent. Have the Hebrew name, with the father’s Hebrew name, ready for the mohel. Mazal tov on a girl? Baby girls are named in shul at the Torah reading.

Plan the meal

A morning bris is often followed by a dairy breakfast, bagels, salads and cake. Order from a kosher caterer a few days ahead. See our kosher food guide.

Other situations

Adoption, conversion, older boys and adults

Adoption or conversion

If your son is adopted, or a parent is not Jewish, the bris may be part of a conversion with a beit din. Ask the mohel.

An older child or adult

It is never too late for a bris. If your son was circumcised in the hospital without a bris, a short ceremony can complete the mitzvah. Ask the mohel.

Pidyon haben

A firstborn son may also need a pidyon haben, the redemption of the firstborn, on day 31. Learn about pidyon haben.

Questions parents ask

Is a bris safe?

Done by a trained mohel, a bris is a short and common procedure. Like any procedure it carries some risk, so ask the mohel about his training and how he works, and talk with your pediatrician. The mohel checks the baby first and will wait if the baby is not ready.

Does a bris hurt the baby?

The milah itself takes only moments. Many families soothe the baby with a drop of wine on gauze, and he is usually fed and held by his mother right after. Ask the mohel what he does for comfort, and ask your pediatrician about pain relief.

How much does a mohel cost?

Mohel fees in Los Angeles vary. Rav Yaakov Nourollah offers brit milah free of charge for families who need it, so no family has to skip a bris because of cost.

We are not religious. Can we still have a bris?

Yes, and you are very welcome. Every Jewish boy deserves his bris, whatever your background or level of observance. We will explain each step, and you choose how big or small the day is.

Where can we hold the bris?

Anywhere you choose: at Bait Aaron, at home, at a hall or restaurant, or at the hospital if your baby is still there on the eighth day. Hospitals have their own rules, so ask early.

Our son was born at Cedars-Sinai. Can you help?

Yes. Bait Aaron is a short walk from Cedars-Sinai, and many families who give birth there are local to Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. If your baby is still in the hospital on the eighth day, the bris can be held there, subject to the hospital’s rules.

Do you come to our area?

Yes. Rav Yaakov Nourollah travels all over Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pico-Robertson, Hancock Park, Beverlywood, Westwood, Santa Monica, Mid-City, Downtown and the San Fernando Valley.

What happens if the bris has to be delayed?

If the baby is not well enough, for example with jaundice, the bris waits until he is healthy. The mohel and your doctor decide together. A delayed bris is not held on Shabbat or Yom Tov.

What should we do after the bris?

The mohel will give you aftercare instructions. Follow them closely, and call your pediatrician with any concern about bleeding, feeding or fever.

What do guests say at a bris?

Mazal tov, often spelled mazel tov. After the father’s blessing everyone answers together: Keshem shenichnas labrit, ken yikanes l’Torah ul’chupah ul’ma’asim tovim.

This page is a general guide. Questions about your baby’s health belong with your pediatrician, and the mohel will guide you on halacha and customs. In town for the birth? See our Cedars-Sinai guide and Shabbat in Los Angeles.

Mazal tov! To arrange a free bris with Rav Yaakov Nourollah, call or text Bait Aaron with your son’s date and time of birth and where you live.

Call or text 310-951-1939

Bait Aaron Torah Outreach Center · 301 S. La Peer Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048 · Mara D’Asra: HaRav Moshe Nourollah, Shlita