The sudden restrictions forced upon us by the ongoing pandemic has changed how we go about doing nearly everything in our lives. Rabbanim and poskim have been inundated for weeks with halacha shaalos relating to every aspect of Jewish life. Some of the biggest questions, and of tremendous concern to new parents, is how one should give their son a bris against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Should parents wait until the crisis is over? Are mohelim still willing to perform a bris? Are any precautions being taken to keep my child safe? These are but some of the concerns now being asked by the parents of newborn boys.

To help shed some light on the vagaries surrounding bris milah in the time of coronavirus, TLS turned to Rabbi Ari Pruzansky, a noted mohel who has been performing brissim for 15+ years.

TLS: Has Covid-19 made it more difficult for a newborn to get a bris?

Rabbi Pruzansky: Unfortunately, yes. First of all, there are fewer mohelim who are available right now. Some have temporarily stopped doing brissim because they have gotten ill, while others are worried that they may inadvertently sicken a child. Because of this scarcity, parents are finding it more difficult to find a mohel who can do the bris on the eighth day. There are still a number of mohelim, myself included, who are continuing to perform brissim as much as we can. However, although because of zrizim makdimim it is preferable to do the bris immediately after shacharis, scheduling issues are forcing us to perform the brissim at various time throughout the day.

TLS: Are you taking any special precautions?

Rabbi Pruzansky: Yes, of course. As a mohel, the first thing that we must take into account is how little we know of this machlah. Every week there are new things we are learning about the coronavirus, new treatments for it, risk factors being identified, and all sorts of different precautions being recommended. Because the situation is so fluid, it is incumbent upon myself and other mohelim to undertake every precaution and every chumrah possible to ensure that there is no cross-contamination between the mohel and the baby. If there is any chashash sakanah, we must be machmir in pikuach nefesh as much as necessary to keep everyone involved safe. That being said, because such extreme precautions are now being implemented, there is no need to postpone a bris past the eighth day.

TLS: What steps are you taking to making sure nobody becomes infected?

Rabbi Pruzansky: There are several precautions that most mohelim have now implemented in every bris. First, there are no minyanim allowed at a bris now. Only the avi haben may be present, and he must be the sandek. The mohel must wear a mask, gloves, and if possible, a medical gown, to keep the baby as protected as possible. The mohel also must be sure to take specific measures to ensure that the keilim being used during the milah are sterile. For example, I leave my keilim in an alcohol solution for 20 minutes before performing a bris. Just prior to the bris, a mohel must wash his hands, Purell them, and soak them in an alcohol solution for approximately 45 seconds, to ensure that any harmful bacteria or virus that may have been there is eliminated.

TLS: Has anything changed regarding the mohel checking the baby before the bris?

Rabbi Pruzansky: Yes. While the mohel would usually check the baby 3 or 4 days before the bris to confirm that it can take place on time so that the parents can confirm with the caterer, hall and guests, it is not recommended that he do so now. We are trying to limit the amount of time the mohel spends with the child as much as possible. If there is something that would stop the mohel from performing the bris, he would be able to see the problem on the day of the bris. If for whatever reason, the mohel must check the baby in-person before the bris, it should be done the day before the bris, rather than several days before. This would give parents ample time to set up a Zoom or Skype conference for family members and friends to join in the simcha.

TLS: Is there anything else the parents of newborn boys should know?

Rabbi Pruzansky: Just practically speaking, parents should know how important it is for their baby to be getting enough nutrition. Barring a severe medical issue, I have never seen a case where a child who was drinking enough was too yellow and couldn’t receive his bris on time. Making sure that your child has enough food and drink in his body is the best way to ensure that the excess of bilirubin – the cause of yellowness – will be washed out of his system.

TLS: Where should parents turn if they have any questions that haven’t been answered here?

Rabbi Pruzansky: Call me! If anyone has questions or would like me to perform a bris, they can always give me a call, and I would be happy to be of help. My number is 732-771-4353.