The coronavirus epidemic and the government's ensuing orders to limit public gatherings are causing many Israeli parents to postpone circumcision ceremonies for newborn baby boys, the country's mohels are reporting.
According to Yehuda Mahfoud, the grandson of Rabbi Shlomo Mahfoud – a leading figure in the ultra-Orthodox community – the moment the public panic over coronavirus began, parents began postponing the brit milah ceremonies they had planned for their sons. Mahfoud says that the postponement of the ceremony presents a problem in terms of complying with Jewish law.
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"A lot of people are calling me, wanting to postpone their sons' brit," Mahfoud said. "It's widespread, and I'm hearing about it from everyone involved in the field. People are afraid for their children's wellbeing after the brit. If he's exposed to the virus, they're afraid they might get sick, too, and won't be able to care for him, or [they're afraid] the mohel will infect the child."
"Because my grandfather is one of the best-known mohels in Israel, a lot of people are calling me all the time, asking me to talk to him and ask him if a brit can be postponed," he said.
Mahfoud, who performs an average of three brit ceremonies a day, says that the public's concerns are unfounded.
"The mohels I know are careful about maintaining total hygiene, every day. During the brit, they take off their gloves and disinfect thoroughly. The mohels have also canceled trips abroad, even though they are invited to many places throughout the world, in order to protect parents and children in Israel. It's important to understand that according to Jewish law, the brit milah is even more important than a wedding ceremony. However, I'm aware of the stress and so I cannot force anyone to do anything. All I can do is explain the situation," he said.
"There is real fear among the public. I and the rest of the profession are explaining over and over why the brit milah is important and why it's not dangerous if all instructions are followed. Sometimes, people are busy with trivial things and cancel [the brit milah] because they want a big party. My wife is due to give birth to a son, and I had planned to invite all my friends. But I canceled the plans and I'll do the brit at home. I understand that for some people, the party is important, but that's trivial compared to the main commandment of the brit itself," he said.
Rabbi Shlomo Mahfoud is also trying to calm people down and explain that the brit milah is a commandment of unparalleled importance: "The brit milah [ceremony] must be conducted with 10 participants, with the mohel, the father, and the godfather keeping their distance from each other, in accordance with instructions. In addition, unlike in healthy times, when the godfather is an elderly member of the family or a beloved elder, right now a godfather must be someone under age 50."
