What Happens in a Brit Milah (Bris) Ceremony?
- Kvater - Escorts - Married Couple or brother and sister - this is a segulah to have children. The couple accepts the baby from the mother and brings the baby into the room for the bris (a pregnant woman generally does not perform this honor) as the congregation stands up and proclaims together: Baruch Habah.
- Miyad Liyad - (Optional) Passing the baby from "Hand to Hand." This is an opportunity to honor as many participants as you wish with holding the baby. (During this time, the Mohel recites several passages from the Torah about Brit Mila)
- Kisay shel Eliyahu / Me'al Hakisay Placing the child on the chair of Elijah and then lifting him back off after a prayer is said by the Mohel.
- Birchat Kohanim (optional / if Kohen is present)
- If the father is not the Sandek, the father is usually honored with placing the child on the lap of the Sandek.
- Sandek - Holds the child on his lap during the circumcision. With some exceptions one family should not have the same sandek for two of their children.
- The Mohel will ask the father to designate him to be his agent (Shaliach) to perform this mitzvah. After the Mohel's blessing and the circumcision, the father then makes the blessing: LeHachniso Be'Vrito Shel Avraham Avinu.
- Me'al HaSandek/Sandak MeUmad Taking the child from the Sandek's lap / Standing and holding the baby as he is named.
- Brochos VeKrias Hashem - Blessings celebrating the bris and naming the baby - Hebrew reading required (this honor can be split in half if more honors are needed)
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