rite of circumcision (Brit mil ah) is performed on the eighth day of a boy's life. (There is no parallel practice for girls, and "female circumcision" has nothing to do with Judaism.) The ritual usually takes place in the morning at the family's home.
Circumcision is commanded in Genesis 17:10-14 as an outward sign of a man's participation in Israel's covenant with God, as well as a sign that the Jewish people will perpetuate through him. The commandment is incumbent upon both father and child - fathers must see that their sons are circumcised, and uncircumcised grown men are obligated to perform the rite.
Those who are not circumcised suffer the penalty of Karita, no matter how otherwise observant they may be. Perhaps in part for this reason, circumcision is the Mitzi most likely to be observed by otherwise non-observant Jews.
Circumcision is so important that it may be performed on the Sabbath or a holiday, despite prohibitions of drawing blood on those days. Yet the ceremony may be postponed for health reasons, and then it cannot be performed until seven days after a physician has declared the child healthy. If this occurs, the rite cannot be performed on the Sabbath or holiday, because there is no longer sufficient reason to violate the general law of the holy days.
Technically it is performed for a healthy, clean penis.
Historically: God commanded Abraham to circumcise Ishmael, his first born. I think Jews do that to commemorate that moment. Just how Muslims sacrifice animals once a year to commemorate the time Abraham was commanded to kill Isaac but he was commanded to kill the lamb instead.
Hopefully, you'll get someone Jewish that can maybe shed more light.
It goes back to Abraham after God made the promise to Abraham and said that it would be for a sign for all generations.
In the New Testament, Paul says that Christians are, in essence, "spiritually circumcised", that we've become the spiritual children of Abraham if we believe God.
9Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
Nobody who is uncircumcised in heart or flesh will not enter into the Lord's rest.
ALL who want to get into the kingdom have to be circumcised. Nowhere in the Bible does it say this is only for the Jews. The scripture just told you stranger and Israel both have to be circumcised.
It's part of the agreement with god to be allowed in to heaven.
Though that is the mythical reasoning presumably it had something to do with limiting masturbation or sex in males of the tribes it was implemented in. As, you know, mutilating your penis is pretty pointless for anything else.
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis. The rite of circumcision (Brit mil ah) is one of the most ancient practices of Judaism. The commandment to circumcise male children was given to Abraham in the Torah (Genesis 17:7?14 and repeated in Leviticus 12:3):
And God said unto Abraham: 'And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that should shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.
The circumcision is done the eighth day after birth, unless ill health or serious medical problems prevent it. Even Shabbat does not stop a Brit. If a child is not circumcised, he is still considered a Jew [San. 44a; Hoffmann, Melamed Leho?IL, Yoreh De?a, #79]. However, if there are no medical contraindications (e.g., hemophilia), it is incumbent for the individual to arrange for their circumcision when medically safe to do so.
Traditionally, the father is supposed to perform the Brit. Since most fathers do not have the appropriate training, a specialist called a model is usually called upon to perform the circumcision. It is customary that, if possible, a model performs his first Brit on his own son-under the supervision of an experienced accredited model (his teacher). Mohelim are trained by all the religious movements and are sometimes also practicing physicians.
The operation is usually done in the home or the shul. The infant is surrounded by family and friends, and held by the sandek (an adult being honored by the parents, often a grandfather).
Why in Judaism, is circumstion perfromed?
