A
Word from the Mohel
With
gratitude to God I am honored to present circumcision.net
as an exclusive website focused entirely on the mitzvah of Bris Milah -
Ritual Circumcision. This is the first website that has compiled and
posted on the web so many laws, customs and insights of Ritual
Circumcision.
As
a Mohel, I am in contact with people of many different backgrounds and
affiliations. I learned over time that although there is a great devotion
to the mitzvah of Bris Milah there is still a considerable lack of
knowledge regarding the customs and laws surrounding its fulfillment. It
is for this reason that I have joined forces with Rabbi Zalman Goldstein,
author of several companions
on Jewish subjects, and compiled the laws and customs that
should be known to parents of a newborn Jewish boy. It is our hope that this
website will serve as an overview and introduction to this great mitzvah.
I
started as a Mohel while participating in Jewish outreach programs in the
former Soviet Union, during the final years of Communism. I was sent by
the Lubavitcher Rebbe, along with numerous yeshiva students, to organize a
summer camp for Jewish children.
Sadly,
due to the Communist opposition to the practice of religion for so many
years, many Jewish Russian children have very little, if any, knowledge of
their Jewish heritage and traditions. It was therefore our mission to
inspire and teach them about their great Jewish heritage in a fun-filled
summer camp environment.
Of
the many unforgettable experiences I had during this summer, witnessing
the courage and self-sacrifice of many of these children who asked to have
a Bris Milah had the most impact on me. At that time there was an elderly
Jewish Mohel by the name of Reb Avraham Gennin, of blessed memory. He
devoted his entire life to the mitzvah of Bris Milah, even during periods
of intense religious persecution when the performance of a Bris could
result in receiving the death penalty.
I
had my own opportunity to meet with Reb Avraham when I brought the
children to Moscow for their Bris. It was there that I saw true
"Jewish devotion" as exemplified by these children. The experience
left such an indelible impression on me that I was determined to become a
Mohel, dedicated to maintaining the highest level of both the ritual
aspects and medical standards of a Bris Milah.
My
grandfather, Rabbi Yisroel Tzvi Halevi Heber, a Shochet (Heb. ritual
slaughterer) and Mohel in Israel, served as a tremendous pillar of support
during my entire training. His knowledgeable guidance and deft expertise
allowed me to satisfy my desire to blend the highest level of medical
skill and halachic accuracy into my practice.
I
am also grateful for the expert medical training I received from Rabbi
Avrohom Cohen, author of the book "Bris Avrohom Cohen".
He taught me the intricacies of the medical aspects of Bris Milah, which
allows me to perform Brisim even in the most complicated medical
situations. Most of all, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to
bring hundreds of children into the covenant of Abraham.
I
pray that the Almighty continue to bless me, guiding me in the performance
of this most sacred duty. In addition, may I merit that which is written
in the prayers recited by the Mohel at a Bris, "May Elijah the
Prophet stand at my right side to assist me," Amen.
Rabbi
Levi Y. Heber/Certified Mohel
Levi@Circumcision.net
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