Birth ceremonies
Brit Milah (baby boys)
Brit MilahJewish ceremony of circumcision of an infant boy. is the ritual of circumcision (Judaism)The removal of the foreskin from the penis performed by a qualified mohel on all Jewish boys, usually on the eighth day after birth. Also known as Brit Milah. and dates back to the covenantAn agreement or promise. made between God and Abraham / IbrahimWidely regarded as the father of Christians, Jews and Muslims. He was the first person to teach that there is only one God. His story is told in the biblical book of Genesis and also in the Qur’an, where he is named Ibrahim.. The TorahLaw; teaching. The word Torah can be used in a narrow sense to mean the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (The Five Books of Moses) and also in a wider sense to include the whole of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud. reminds Jews that circumcision is required by God as a sign of the covenant: Every male among you shall be circumcised (Genesis 17:10)
The ritual is usually done at home seven or eight days after a boy’s birth. It is carried out by a mohelA person trained to perform Brit Milah., which is a person specifically trained to carry out circumcision. A blessing is said before the circumcision is carried out. The boy is given his Hebrew name and the kiddushA prayer sanctifying the Sabbath and festival days, usually recited over wine. is said. There is then a celebratory meal.
Welcoming baby girls
Orthodox practices
In Orthodox JewsJews who live by the Torah and rabbinic law (halakhah) and who only accept changes that can be supported by the Torah. communities, it has become traditional for new fathers of baby girls to have the honour of saying the blessing before and after a section of the weekly Torah reading at the synagogueBuilding for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly.. This happens on the first ShabbatThe seventh day of the week; a day of spiritual renewal and rest commencing at sunset on Friday and terminating at nightfall on Saturday. service after the girl’s birth. The child receives her Hebrew name at the same time. After the service, both parents are honoured at a congregational kiddush.
Reform practices
In Reform JewsJews who have adapted their laws and practices as modern life has changed. synagogues, there is a baby-naming ceremony for girls that involves both parents. It usually takes place when the baby is about one month old.
A number of ceremonies have emerged that celebrate the birth of a daughter and her entry into the covenant of the Jewish people. One of the most popular types of ceremony is called Brit BatIn Reform Judaism, a ceremony that celebrates the birth of a girl and welcomes her into the covenant of the Jewish people. , which means ‘the daughter’s covenant’. This may be celebrated in the synagogue or at home.
Question
What does Brit Bat mean?
The daughter’s covenant.
