Brit Milah (Circumcision service)^A

David Bar-Tzur

When the infant is brought in the entire assemblage greets him:

(2h)#ALL¹ SAY: WELCOME BABY. NOW EIGHTH D-A-Y, HIMSELF READY PUT-UP-WITH² CIRCUMCISE³.

The mohel (in some congregations, all those present) then recites:

MOHEL⁴ (CIRCUMCISE AGENT) SAY: CHAIR INDEX-'Elijah's chair'⁵ FOR-FOR? PROPHET E-L-I-J-A-H, SIGN E-PROPHET, HIS-'lf, on high' SPIRIT V:-CL 'spirit descends from heaven, sits in chair'⁶ WITNESS⁷ CIRCUMCISION. REMEMBER CHERISH.

The mohel then says:

(Role play to God) REALLY-WANT⁸ YOU SAVE ME, LORD. UP-TO-NOW ME HOPE"over time" THAT*. ME FOLLOW YOUR COMMANDMENT INDEX-LIST FINISH. (role play to Elijah) E-PROPHET, YOU ANNOUNCE GOD HIS COVENANT. SOON WITNESS CIRCUMCISION WILL. PLEASE SUPPORT ME. (role play to God) UP-TO-NOW ME HOPE"over time" YOU SAVE ME, LORD. YOUR COMMANDMENT MAKE ME HAPPY IDEA~LIKE⁹ RICH ME. PEOPLE CHERISH YOUR TORAH¹⁰, INSIDE-SELF¹¹ PEACE HAVE. TEMPTATION SOLVE. APPROPRIATE YOU CHOOSE JEWISH PEOPLE. WHY? TWO-OF-US GO-TOGETHER CHERISH.

All present respond:

(2h)#ALL SAY: WE LOOK-FORWARD YOUR HOLY TEMPLE SET-UP WHERE? JERUSALEM¹².

When the mohel is ready to perform the circumcision, the baby's father says:

FATHER SAY: KNOW-THAT¹³ ME PREPARED¹⁴, READY OBEY POSITIVE COMMANDMENT HE HIMSELF MAKE WORLD COMMAND ME. WHAT? CIRCUMCISE MY SON.

In some congregations at this point the father verbally appoints the mohel as his agent to perform circumcision on his son.

The mohel takes the infant and proclaims joyously:

MOHEL SAY: WE PRAISE GOD HIMSELF HOLY. HE TELL-lf ABRAHAM¹⁵ OUR FOREFATHER¹⁶, (role play God to Abraham) ME WATCH-lf"over time" CAREFUL. (end role play) ME PREPARED, READY OBEY POSITIVE COMMANDMENT, HIMSELF-G-d MAKE WORLD COMMAND US, IF BOY OLD EIGHT D-A-Y, CIRCUMCISE MUST.

The baby is placed in the sandak's knees. Just before performing the circumcision, the mohel recites:

MOHEL SAY: LORD, OUR GOD, YOU CONTROL WORLD IDEA~LIKE KING, WE PRAISE. WHY? YOU MAKE US HOLY THROUGH COMMANDMENT, AND COMMAND US CIRCUMCISE OUR CHILDREN. (2h)#ALL SAY: AMEN.

As the mohel performs the circumcision, the father (or if the father is not present, the sandak) recites:

FATHER SAY: LORD, OUR GOD, YOU CONTROL WORLD IDEA~LIKE KING, WE PRAISE. WHY? YOU MAKE US HOLY THROUGH COMMANDMENT, AND COMMAND US HELP SON ENTER COVENANT¹⁷ LIKE ABRAHAM OUR FOREFATHER.

All respond loudly and joyfully:

(2h)#ALL SAY: AMEN. BABY RECENTLY ENTER COVENANT. NOW WE PRAY HE-baby ALSO WORTH (1) LEARN TORAH, (2) MARRY, (3) HELP"each" PEOPLE.

When the circumcision is complete, the baby is given to one of the prominent guests to hold, while the following prayers (including the giving of the name) are recited. The honor of reciting them may be given to one person, or they may be divided between two people. If so, the first person recites the two blessings and the second person recites the prayer during which the baby is given his name.

LORD, OUR GOD, YOU CONTROL WORLD IDEA~LIKE KING, WE PRAISE. WHY? WHY? YOU MAKE GRAPES.

LORD, OUR GOD, YOU CONTROL WORLD IDEA~LIKE KING, WE PRAISE. WHY? YOU MAKE BABY HOLY WHILE STILL INSIDE-SELF¹⁸ MOTHER. CIRCUMCISION PROVE COVENANT HAVE*. THEREFORE SAVE US, YOURSELF LIVE. OUR HERITAGE, OUR FOUNDATION, YOU. DON'T DESTROY OUR SOUL FOR S-A-K-E HIS-God's COVENANT THEREABOUTS-genitalia. WE PRAISE YOU, LORD. WHY? YOU ESTABLISH COVENANT. (2h)#ALL SAY AMEN.

OUR GOD, GOD FOR OUR FOREFATHER, SAVE HON.-INDEX-baby CHILD FOR HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND FROM-NOW-ON HIS JEWISH NAME WHAT? (baby's Hebrew name) SON FROM (father's Hebrew name). FATHER GO-AHEAD¹⁹ CELEBRATE WIFE GIVE-BIRTH CAN. MOTHER GO-AHEAD JUMP-UP-AND-DOWN²⁰ ABOUT BABY LIKE FLOWER BLOOM²¹, BORN. GOD SAY: (role play God) (<) FATHER, (>) MOTHER, CELEBRATE SHOULD. WOMAN GIVE-BIRTH FINISH JUMP-UP-AND-DOWN SHOULD. NEXT-IN-LIST²², LORD SAW JEWISH PEOPLE SUFFER EGYPT, TELL-them, (2h)#ALL SAY: IN YOUR BLOOD LIVE, IN YOUR BLOOD LIVE. Mohel's-TURN, IN YOUR BLOOD LIVE, IN YOUR BLOOD LIVE. NEXT-IN-LIST, LORD REMEMBER HIS COVENANT FOREVER WILL. WORD HE COMMAND CONTINUE ONE THOUSAND GENERATION. HE PROMISE ABRAHAM; HE PROMISE ISAAC²³. HE ESTABLISH LAW FOR JACOB²⁴ AND COVENANT FOREVER WITH JEWISH PEOPLE. NEXT-IN-LIST, ABRAHAM CIRCUMCISE HIS-lf SON ISAAC HOW-OLD? EIGHT D-A-Y LIKE GOD COMMAND. #ALL-OF-YOU²⁵ SAY THANK LORD, HIMSELF GOOD*. HIS KINDNESS CONTINUE FOREVER. THANK LORD, HIMSELF GOOD*. HIS KINDNESS CONTINUE FOREVER. Mohel's-TURN, THANK LORD, HIMSELF GOOD*. HIS KINDNESS CONTINUE FOREVER. THANK LORD, HIMSELF GOOD*. HIS KINDNESS CONTINUE FOREVER.

WE PRAY HON-INDEX-baby SWEET BABY NAMED (baby's Hebrew name) SON FROM (father's Hebrew name) BECOME WONDERFUL WILL. (2h)#ALL SAY: BABY RECENTLY ENTER COVENANT. NOW WE PRAY HE-baby ALSO WORTH (1) LEARN TORAH, (2) MARRY, (3) HELP"each" PEOPLE WILL. Mohel's-TURN, BABY RECENTLY ENTER COVENANT. NOW WE PRAY HE-baby ALSO WORTH (1) LEARN TORAH, (2) MARRY, (3) HELP"each" PEOPLE WILL.

The one who recited the blessings drinks some wine.

The mohel blesses the child:

HIMSELF BLESS OUR FOREFATHER ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. WE PRAY HE ALSO BLESS INDEX-baby SWEET C-H-I-L-D, CIRCUMCISION FINISH, NAMED (baby's Hebrew name) SON FROM (father's Hebrew name). SEND-TO-baby RECOVERY 100 PERCENT. WHY? HE ENTER COVENANT FINISH. BABY RECENTLY ENTER COVENANT. NOW WE PRAY HE-baby ALSO WORTH (1) LEARN TORAH, (2) MARRY, (3) HELP "each" PEOPLE WILL. (2h)#ALL SAY AMEN.

The mohel and father then recite the following prayer:

WORLD~THEREABOUTS ITS EXECUTIVE, REALLY-WANT YOU WILLING HE-baby IMPORTANT, FAVORITE, ACCEPT ABLE, IDEA~LIKE OFFERING YOUR THRONE²⁶ SHINY²⁷. REALLY-WANT YOU MERCY-ON-baby SEND YOUR HOLY ANGEL BRING HOLY, PURE SOUL FOR (baby's Hebrew name) SON FROM (father's Hebrew name), HIMSELF RECENTLY CIRCUMCISE FOR S-A-K-E YOUR WONDERFUL NAME. REALLY-WANT HIS HEART OPEN@heart ACCEPT YOUR HOLY TORAH PARALLEL LONG-AGO TEMPLE OPEN FOR LEARN"each", TEACH"each", FOLLOW"each", DO"each". ALLOW HIM-baby LIVE LONG, AVOID SIN, RICH WITH HONOR, SUCCEED EVERYTHING GOOD THROUGH YOU.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY "WHAT"? PRAISE LORD HIMSELF CONTROL (2h)#ALL. ANNOUNCE HE ADVANCED*, (<) HEAVEN SET-UP, (>) EARTH SET-UP. OTHER PEOPLE THEY-rt WORSHIP "WHAT", (<) WOOD WHITTLE²⁸ SHAPE, (>) STONE CHISEL²⁹ SHAPE. WE BEND-KNEES³⁰ BOW-DOWN³¹. WHY? HE KING TOP, HOLY*. APPROPRIATE PRAISE HIM. HEAVEN, HE SET-UP IDEA~LIKE TENT'stretch over head'³². EARTH, HE FOUNDATION. STAR (2h)5:-CL'stars in the sky'³³ SHOW-TO-us HIS NAME~SHINY³⁴. MOUNTAIN, WE LOOK-AT"over time", HIS POWER CLEAR. HIMSELF, OUR GOD ONLY-ONE. HIMSELF, OUR KING. RULER THEY-lf COMPARE-lf-WITH-God, NOTHING-TO-IT³⁵ THEM-lf. TORAH, TELL-STORY QUOTE, NOW+ KNOW-THAT LORD HIMSELF TRUE GOD. HE CONTROL HEAVEN. HE CONTROL EARTH. HIS AUTHORITY SUPREME³⁶. (CONTINUE PRAY QUIET)...

GOD~BOOK PREDICT QUOTE LORD WILL BECOME KING. MEAN, HE CONTROL EARTH~THEREABOUTS COMPLETE*³⁷. SAME~TIME HAPPEN, LORD BECOME ONLY-ONE. PLUS HIS NAME BECOME ONLY-ONE.

Kaddish

Reader. GOD HIS NAME~SHINY, HOLY*. PRAISE GOD. WE ANNOUNCE HIS WORTH MUST. SPREAD WORLD~THEREABOUTS HE HIMSELF MAKE. HOPE DURING YOUR"all" LIFE TIME-PERIOD EVERYONE ACCEPT AUTHORITY HIS, (2h)#ALL SAY: AMEN.

Cong. and Reader. HOPE HE CONTINUE BLESS US FROM-NOW-ON, FOREVER.

Reader. WE ANNOUNCE HE BLESS US. HIS NAME~SHINY, ADVANCED³⁸; WE PRAISE-God. WE HONOR-God. WE ADMIT HIS NAME HOLY. PRAISE GOD. WE REALIZE (1) ANNOUNCE, (2) HONOR, (3) PRAISE, INDEX-LIST-OF-3³⁹ NOT ENOUGH. (2h)#ALL SAY: AMEN.

TODAY (2h)#ALL JEWISH PEOPLE (<) PRAY, (>) BEG (role play to God) HEAVENLY-FATHER.⁴⁰

Footnotes

1. All glosses marked with a footnote are described below. For an explanation of other glossing symbols used, see Explanation of glossing used. (2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, move away while opening to (2h)[L].
2. PUT-UP-WITH - Same signs as PATIENT.
   CIRCUMCISE - There are many signs for this. My preferred is (2h)[A dot], POs down, DHFT circles NDHFT as if cutting off foreskin + flick thumb against index finger and move hand upwards as if flicking something away.
   MOHEL - This is the "rabbi" who is performing the circumcision. Use whichever sign you want for "circumcise" or see above and add AGENT.
   INDEX-'Elijah's chair' - Point to the chair where the person who is holding the baby on a pillow (sandek) will sit.
   V:-CL 'spirit descends from heaven, sits in chair' - With the CL to show Elijah descending from Heaven and landing in Elijah's chair.
   WITNESS - [1] touches under eye while head moves down.
   REALLY-WANT - the sign WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.
   IDEA~LIKE - a blending where IDEA has a [Y] instead of an [I] in anticipation of LIKE which - signed smoothly right afterwards.
   TORAH - (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.
   INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.
   JERUSALEM - [B with thumbs flush with other fingers but not folded into palm], touches mouth and then pronates.
   KNOW-THAT - Starts like KNOW but twists and descends, looking almost like DON'T-KNOW except the hand twists down at the end.
   KNOW-THAT - Starts like KNOW but twists and descends, looking almost like DON'T-KNOW except the hand twists down at the end.
   ABRAHAM - [A] strikes between the thumb and forefinger of [B], like BOTHER, but a single movement.
   ABRAHAM - [A] strikes between the thumb and forefinger of [B], like BOTHER, but a single movement.
   COVENANT - AGREE RELATIONSHIP-WITH-God.
   INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.
   GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.
   JUMP-UP-AND-DOWN - FT of [V] bend and jump away from NDH [B], PO up, FO away.
   BLOOM - (2h)[A] are held together but the hands are twisted like the beginning of CHANGE. Hands twist back while opening to (2h)[5:] with the hands still held together.
   NEXT-IN-LIST - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, both descend with an inward arc.
   ISAAC - [I] taps fingertip against throat.
   JACOB - Could be fingerspelled or signed as a [J] across the chin.
   #ALL-OF-YOU - [A], PO up, FO > DS - held at DS then swings away in an arc and ends [L^], PO up, FO > NDS.
   THRONE - SIT + (2h)[B:], POs down, FOs away, behave as if they were on the arms of a throne.
   SHINY - (2h)[open 8], POs down, FOs away, twist rapidly at wrists while rising.
   WHITTLE - Thumb of [A dot] twists at back hand of [S], PO down, FO away, as if whittling a piece out.
   CHISELCHISEL - (2h)[S], DH mimes hammering and NDH holding a chisel.
   BEND-KNEES - [V] stands on palm of NDH, then bend DH FT while maintaining contact with palm.
   BOW-DOWN - (2h)[B], POs away, FOs up, are held like the final position of GIVE-UP, then bend these arms twice while bowing at waist once.
   TENT'stretch over head' - (2h)[horns] touch FT and move diagonally away and down, but this is done above head and encloses the signer's body.
   (2h)5:-CL'stars in the sky' - (2h)[5:], POs diagonally up, hands jab at space above while descending.
   NAME~SHINY - starts like the sign NAME, the NDH - left in place while the DH touches it with the [open 8] (as in the sign FEEL), then moves upwards while twisting the wrist.
   NOTHING-TO-IT - (2h)[F], POs away, FOs up, hands move slightly and symetrically from side to side.
   SUPREME - (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.
   COMPLETE* - (2h)[B^], POs up, FOs ><, DH circles around NDH and lands on its palm emphatically.
   ADVANCED - (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upwards arcing towards the signer.
   INDEX-LIST-OF-3 - NDH [3], PO > signer, FO > DS, and DH points to thumb, then moves > DS and down, then points to the index finger, and similarly with the middle finger to say we are referring to all the previously listed items.
   HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH - held against forehead, NDH close to head but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards.

A. The Berit Milah (Bris) - Fred R. Kogan. M.D.