13, which would require
mohels to explain the oral suction procedure and its risks, including the possible transmission of herpes simplex virus, and have parents sign a waiver.But Niederman worries that a vote to enact the law would force rabbis, who are "among the most law-abiding citizens," to put their religious beliefs first.
Still, the sages saw room for free will: A person born under the sign of Mars can choose to shed blood in a positive way by becoming a surgeon, a
mohel, or a butcher.
In the comic's second issue, the
mohel (a specialist in Jewish ritual circumcision) barged into a San Diego home, snatched a baby boy from his mother, and proceeded to circumcise the infant on a pool table before being stopped by Foreskin Man.
He did it with the flair of a much- practiced
mohel: deftly he snipped the final Hebrew letter--the koph from Shertok, a Russian Jewish surname which some have linked etymologically to chort, Russian for "devil." Sharett's witty whittling produced the Hebrew word for "servant," i.e., a servant of the people.
In the context of this discussion, the uman is a
mohel (ritual circumciser), but in general in the Talmud an uman could be a doctor, a phlebotomist, or any other health professional.
-THANKS to jewish.co.uk for letting us know about their new look site, including the appealing section on "What Jews Do", featuring the work of the
mohel, the chap who performs circumcisions.
Activities range from sports, bridge, and sewing clubs, to associations of Israeli and Polish Jews, clubs for former Chalutzim, and for survivors of Theresienstadt, organizations for young people and retired people, a choir, folk music ensembles, a club for those interested in Yiddish, as well as burial societies, and a society to ensure that there is always at least one
mohel in Copenhagen.
The rabbi is also an authorized
mohel but prefers not to take any chances, so most new parents privately book a
mohel from Israel for their son's circumcision ritual.
When the families were Jewish, I heaved a sigh of relief, and referred them to their own community
mohel, but I did not try to talk them out of genitally mutilating their sons.
According to the lawsuit, which was filed this week against Rabbi Mordechai Rosenberg, a
mohel certified by the American Board of Ritual Circumcision, the eight-day-old child was rushed to the hospital after the procedure for "emergency reconstructive surgery and leech therapy." The New York Daily News reports that the newborn's penis was allegedly severed and had to be reattached in an 8-hour surgery that required six blood transfusions.