This is ridiculous. Jews share a sacred covenant with G-d requiring circumcision. It is fundamental to our covenantal relationship with Him. To question it is to betray the very heart of our tradition. Besides, as any woman will tell you, uncircumcised male genitalia looks disgusting.

As the mother of three boys, I opted for their circumcisions. We are Cathiolic and religion has nothing to do with it. The reason being personal hygiene. My brother had not been circumcised as a boy and in later life had to be circumcised. Not only was he getting infections, but his wife was also getting infections. The fact was that he couldn’t clean it as well as it should have been. Therefore, he had a circumcision done and thereafter both he and his wife were infection free. So, circumcision isn’t really that bad when you think about it.

The old fashioned beliefs around circumcision are going the way of the dinosaur. I live in a country were most males don’t get circumcised and I’ve never known any men to have any problems associated with being anatomically correct. In fact I’ve heard it is hard to even find a doctor willing to do circumcisions on minors unless there is a real medical reason. In countries that don’t circumcise babies something like 1 in 1000 mean actually ever need to get one so it looks like your brother was very unlucky, Tunisia.
It’s surprising how there’s still a lot of people left, mainly in the U.S., who believe circumcision is a rational thing to do because of ‘personal hygeine’. Some would argue the very heart of Jewish tradition is to question not to be blind followers of ancient superstitions.

Circumcision is one of the 3 signs of the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people. The other 2 being the Sabbath…and the rainbow, which appeared to Noah after the flood. Circumcision is a link to our forefather’s and future generations. Health is a secondary benefit…to a tradition that is steeped in bringing a spiritual connection to our physical world.

It was done centuries ago as a health reason before males grew to be adults. So it will become a minor problem again when it isn’t cleaned. Common sense should have a part here for any male. Cost is a factor too. Is a trend beginning and who is following one man’s example? If you don’t circumcise a boy at birth, it will be difficult with age. The Old Testament has more on this issue.
Decisions are made for right or wrong in the moment. Regrets will also follow eventually. This is a very personal issue for many men. I have three sons. They should know more about this delicate issue.
Knowledge is the key to understanding. Where is the common sense? The mother decides one way or the other. Who is making this a controvertial matter out of this situation?

OK- thia sounds like Dr Dell on radio who talks about an operation a guy can have to un-circumsize himself.
The reason Jews circumsize is religous-not any other. The reason circumsion was big for gentiles was because they thought of scientific-hygiene reasons.
One has nothing to do with the other. If a Jewish male is not circumsized as a baby when he is of age and finds out ladies prefer it or due to religous reasons decides to have it done it is harder on the man. Gotta wonder what a guy on the surgical table thinks about his folks not doing it when he was a baby and he wouldn’t have to be going thru this!
The whole thing is silly.
Laura

Circumcision, The Sabbath. in the days of moses God put down good rules to live by. when He said dont and do this or that, had a very important basic fundamental reason.our health and well being.
on the eigth day circumcision was a safe act when it meant no pain, infections. when it is not done then there are consecuencess of infections. the sabbath was for the resting of the body and soul and the time to spend in communion with God in tyhe midst of peace and love, where we stop to admire and appreciate all He has given us.
the day is devided into 8 working hours, 8 resting hours to sleep,
8 hours to share with your loved ones and a 10% of the for Glory of God. Unfortunatly today nome of this is being practiced, not by the jews or gentiles. only by those who were washed in the blood of the Lamb. Think about it and pray. Rene.

For the Glory of God, we can live in the image of God through the salvation of the blood of the lamb of God. Jews, gentiles or claimed Christians are brothers and sisters and need to be reminded that it is the grace of God, we are who we are. We should be humble before God and love one another as God works together in all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to his purpose.

One of the latest medical reports indicates that circumcision also reduces HIV/AIDS infection since cleansing is much easier.

I am a Jewish Mother, married to a Catholic Father, more importantly, we all believe in G-d, us two and our 4 children. I have circumsized our first boy, and because of that experience, I did not circumsize the other two boys. (We also had a girl in between) They all turned out beautiful, and all believe in G-d. I do not think that it is necessary these days with us not being in the desert anymore. It is very cruel and unnecessary today.

Jewish circumcision is a required religious rite. It is a fundamental tenet of Judaism. Any health or physical benefit is simply an addition to the necessity of the commanded ritual. If people opt to pick and choose which parts of Judaism they wish to follow, no one can stop them, but doing so does not change the basics of Judaism, which has always and will always practiced circumcision.

They weren’t the 10 Suggestions. People are just lazy – they don’t want to put themselves out or stretch themselves any more or have any standards, especially difficult ones. We look like slobs, think like slobs and act like slobs.
Be a real Jew and get your son circumcised. Honor your ancestors and your culture.

When God instructed Abraham to circumcise all males, I guarantee you that not anywhere near 57% of the world’s population at the time were circumcised, nevertheless 90%! For Jews, circumcision has never been about numbers and being like the rest of society. Indeed, it was, is, and should be, quite the opposite. It is about a physical sign of the special covenant that exists between the Jewish people and God. It is about what sets us apart and makes us different. COVENANT – that is the operative word here. That is why the ceremony is called “Brit (Covenant) Milah (of Circumcision).” In regards to health benefits – over the years we have seen that debate go back and forth. I suspect that before too long, it will swing back one more time to the circumcision side. In the end, that does not matter as long as there are no definite serious health risks which can be directly and incontrovertibly attributed to circumcision. Personally, I have always found Brit Milah to be a ritual filled with very powerful imagery. Taking the foreskin is a sacrifice to God in the name of Jewish identity. Since it comes from the penis, it represents a sacrifice coming from that which is most physically precious to men and a commitment to the future of our people (fertility).

In reading the comments, I have to wonder – What is all this “Blood of the Lamb” business? Has this become a forum for Christians who masquerade as Jews?

B”H
Jews will continue to circumcise our boys as prescribed by the Torah. If the Romans, who forbade circumcision (and Sabbath observance, etc.) under the penalty of death, couldn’t stop us from performing brit milah, certainly “modern” ideas such as “it’s an antiquated rite” will not prevent us from doing this important mitzvah.
Brit milah is one of “chukim,” laws for which there is no logical explanation, but nevertheless a life-and-death issue for traditional Jews.
I only hope G-d reveals Himself through Moshiach immediately, so such dicussions will not even be needed.
Regards and shalom…Yossel

My son spend the first week in I. Care Unit when he was born.
I did ask a Rab about, his ansewerd was unexpected for me….”Wait for him to have the age and let him take the desicion about it”…..

Brit Milah, meaning the covenant of circumcision is as innate and important to the Jew, as is our very existence. It is one of the very first covenants that G-d establishes with Abraham. Having been a Mohel
for some 45 years (Performer of Ritual Circumcision)and performed a Briss literally from Mexico to Canada, I know for a fact, that babies who undergo Ritual Circumcision, live healthier lives, as the underlying cause of illness, smegma, is deleted from the penis and genital areas.
Above all, it is the steadfast covenant that G-d established with Abraham, nearly 5000 years ago, that has kept us alive to this day. There are many episodes told of cruel emperors who attempted to abolish Brit-Milah, circumcision. But, we overcame. Now, with the freedoms of North America, we certainly have no reason, not to continue its practice.

Hank-even tho this is called a virtual talmud it is for all religons-I do not get why they do not call it something else but there you go. can be confusing!
Renee-like Hank I am confused about what you are talking about.
Never heard of Blood of the Lamb and I am sure it has nothing to do with circumcision unless you are talking about when Jesus had a bris as a newborn and was circumcised as a Jew.
Please explain what you are talking about.
Respectfully
Laura

Actually 90% of circumcised men dont pick up STDS caused by bacteria so maybe we should listen to Hashem ways.

During my service in WW2 I was fortunate to meet our squadron Chaplin (a Catholic Priest) His admonition was (whatever you are, BE IT, don’t half BE IT. I wonder what we would believe in if we were able to pick and choose the parts of religion that we wish to exclude. When we are finished, we will have NOTHING.We have survived for thousands of years because we followed the precepts of Torah, if one finds that not to their liking, perhaps they should find another house of worship. We are most certainly allowed to question, but we cannot alter Torah to suit ourselves.

I agree with; if one desides to pick and choose what to follow in one’s faith, they really shouldn’t call themselves anything but a protestant. If things have worked for thousands of years why change now? Not all change is necessary nor the best for society.

I aggree with Mr.Levy we should be following a path of closer practice not throwing out what “someone else” thinks is moral.
I will be following the precepts of Torah as well

G-d did not offer humankind the option of picking and choosing what laws to follow; rather, G-d chose the moment to manifest himself to humankind and present the laws to be followed, all in the wisdom to propagate and advance humankind out of the savageness and barbarisms that were pervasive throughout the world. And what a wonderful thing happened. As testament to that wisdom, those that followed the laws as handed down have enjoyed and unprecedented history of culture, advancement, scholarly achievement, and abundance. One does not have to wonder that those who enjoy G-d’s blessings should also constantly suffer attacks of all manner from those of lesser standing that choose not to follow G-d’s laws. It takes work, diligence and effort to keep the laws as handed down; part of the struggle in shedding our animalist nature.
I have two close friends that had problems in their late teens because they were not circumcised, which necessitated having the procedure done when it was much more difficult and painful for them. Research has proven that circumcision can help prevent a host of problems for both sexes (G-d’s wisdom manifests). There are spokes-holes, such as Dr. Dina Dell (radio talk show host) and others that contradict what research has shown. Too bad that individuals such as him are paraded before us as great bastions of knowledge and people put stock into their misguided perceptions (certainly can’t say “wisdom”).
All said, we, as humans cannot take the easy way and give in to indolence if we are to rise up from the common masses and escape our sinful nature as G-d wants us to do. With that, we cannot pick and choose what laws to follow. Never give up. Follow the laws as given us. The day that the laws are no more followed shall be the end of G-d’s chosen people and where the light of the world will no longer shine.

IF I was looking for conspiracies to get rid of Jews, this would be near the top of the list. What better way to insure we disappear than to have us discontinue circumcision and infect our mates with all sorts of ailments that can cause sterility or worse. (Just in case, this was meant to be sarcastic!) Tunisa LeBoef’s post said it best!

The “Brit” IS what makes a man Jewish-it IS the covenant.
Sure, people no longer “need” to keep kosher or Shabbos, why not throw it all out-what’s the expression ..”the baby with the bath water”
This IS a conspiracy

While I’m not an expert on the subject, I’ve heard that circumcision has health benefits both for the circumcised male, who is less likely to contract AIDS and other STDs (according to Anthony S. Fauci, who decidedly IS an expert) and to their sexual partners, who are similarly less vulnerable to STDs. The effectiveness of circumcision in lowering transmission rates for STDs has been proven in West Africa, with respect to AIDS, and in numerous studies of HPV transmission and cervical cancer rates.
It was interesting to hear Fauci interviewed by Dianne Reim on NPR on this subject. He said that there is no doubt that circumcision is effective in lowering transmission rates with respect to AIDS. I believe that he cited a figure of 50% less chance of transmission of AIDS to a circumcised male, which is astounding. Reim countered that she was concerned that circumcision was “risky”. Fauci said “circumcsion is the removal of a piece of skin. It is not a dangerous procedure.” He went on to say that the benefit of cutting AIDS transmission in half more than outweighed the minimal risk. I think that’s the bottom line when it comes to health concerns.
By the way, my son is circumcised, as I and every male in my family has been since time immemorial. We haven’t noticed any difficulties yet.

Definitely a conspiracy. When the last Mohel left/died in China so did the Jewish population that had survived for hundreds of years.

I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised at this next step in “reform” Judaism.
I’ll follow the instructions of HaShem, thank you.
H.

I was born uncircumcised and as some Jewish people refer to be as a gentile. I had a friend who was Jewish while in the service and even though I wasn’t Jewish he would spend time with me and take me to the Jewish center where we could find peace. A couple of years after getting out of the service I did not have any health issues because I practiced good hygiene, however, I made the decision to be circumcised for many reasons. Some for spiritual reasons and some for personal reasons. I had in mind also the concern for my life’s partner whenever she comes into my life – I am many, many years older now and feel like I made the right decision for me. The act of circumcision involves much more than just cutting away of the foreskin – I think all males should be aware of the many reasons both physical and spiritually why it is done.

One of the wonderful things about Judaism is the constant DISCUSSION. The questioning and deciding on how to keep Judaism going and adapting for this day and age. The original purpose of circumcision was a symbol of the covenant with G-d and Abraham, and to set Jews apart from other people. This no longer is a symbol that makes sense. It is a cruel act for a small child. Just as female circumcision has been banned because of its horridness, what makes male circumcision any different? The intention? The intention of covenant is still there. The symbol you can use (as our rabbi did with our son) a drop of blood. But there is no need to maul our sons because we aren’t able to take a step back and take a second look.
G-d made babies the way they are supposed to be. If our son wants to have his penis cut when he is old enough to make that decision, that is fine with us.
Also, I think uncircumcised penises are beautiful! Men also get more pleasure from sex as an uncircumcised male. Bacterial STDs are all curable, and hopefully, all intelligent men will wear condoms when they aren’t sure of their partners sexual histories.
As far as hygiene, we have a culture that uses soap, usually antibacterial, and showers almost daily. Uncircumcised males do not have more incidence of infection in this millenium – 100 years ago, this was true, but not today.
Leave the poor babes alone. Let them be Jewish. Let them have their covenant with a less horrific symbol. Let us wake up!
Noa

THIS IS SPECIALLY ADDRESSED TO NOA IN REFFRENCE TO SUBJECT OF CICUMSISION. THE LAW WAS GIVEN TO JEWISH PEOPLE OVER 3500 YEARS AGO WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO THIS DAY. IT IS SPRITUAL LAW BESIDES BEING FOR A MEDICAL PURPOSE. THE JEWISH LAWS AS YOU PORTRAY IT AS CONSTANT DISCUSSION DOES NOT MEAN TO DISCARD IT,JUST BECAUSE IN 21 CENTURY YOU DECIDE IT IS NOT NEEDED. YHE PROBLEM WITH MOST OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE JEWISH LAW {OR REFUSE TO STUDY IT PROPERLY} YOU ALWAYS TRY TO CHANGE IT TO JUST TO CONFORM WAY OF YOUR LIFE. THOSE LAWS ARE NOT FOR YOU WITH NO KNWLEDGE TO CHANGE.

Now that world health authorities have definitely established that rates of AIDS and other very serious ailments are significantly reduced in populations that practice circumcision, worldwide, the very people who were ordered to do this by religious precept are choosing to abandon it.
Great timing!
This reminds me of nothing so much as that great ferment known as the 1960′s, when everything was up for grabs. Shortly, all the girls who’d been running about in miniskirts (in the early ’60′s) were wearing long skirs, boots, and granny glasses (by the late ’60′s). The newly liberated nuns, however, were running about in miniskirts.
For centuries Jews were suspected of practiciing witchcraft because they remained healthy in the midst of populations that suffered from plague after plague. In fact, the mere practice of many of the precepts of Judaism, like washing hands before meals, and circumcising male infants, preserved the Jews from a similar fate.
If you cannot follow the admonitions of religion, at least check into the health benefits conferred by many of these practices before abandoning them.

While I understand what you are saying, Noa, I don’t know where the notion of ‘mauling’ comes from. I have no momory of the bris, good or bad. What I have is the knowledge that my parents were continuing a practice thousands of years old that is a central aspect of the expectation for Jewish males. The covenant, right?
I also understand the notion that non-orthodoxy has set adise many of the mitzvot. I am not frum. (Did I even spell that right?) But I am glad my parents gave me a bris. I did the actual cutting at my son’s bris (under the watchful eye of the moil/doctor), and I’ll seggest the same participation from my son if her has sons.
I think the decision for following mitzvot, my opinion here, is not one of usefullness. Either Hashem said it, and you’ll follow it, of Hashem said it, and you won’t. I just can’t see this a s a ‘won’t', but I’m sure my Torah study partner sees kashrut the exact same way.
I’m glad we have a forum to discuss things like this.
Michael

I am a convert, and my boys were circumcised in the hospital. My husband was circumcised as a baby. Now, as a Jew, I’m happy my boys are healthy, even tho’ the circumcision was done for health reasons.
I have one good reason for keeping the tradition. Jewish women have significantly less cervical cancer than gentile women. I forget the actual figure, but it made me go Wow! when I read it right here on the internet.
So for the sake of your women, continue circumcision.
Bless the day

The Lord is looking and desiring that our hearts be “circumcized” more than our foreskin. The new covenant that He established through the finished work of Yeshua Moshiach (the perfect Lamb of G-d), whose shed blood atoned for not only the sins of the Jews, but also for the Gentiles has put His laws upon our hearts. They are summed up in two laws: To love the Lord G-d with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two laws hang all the law of the prophets.

My sister and her husband decided to not circumsize their son, and although we are not from a pracitcing family and we are very secular, I still feel strongly about traditions.
I felt that it was a slap in the face to my parents and thousands of years of our history. My father felt that it wasn’t his place to say anything, typical of him, my mother, god rest her soul, not alive and would have caused a riot. Then again my sister and mother were estranged, because of course my sister does everything her way, without any consideration to family and history.
Physically intact, spirtually, disconnected! I think I would rather be physically cut than spiritually.
I believe there will be a back lash, and that this generation will go back to circumsizing their sons. They will not want their sons to feel the same sense of loss due to parents not following in such a tradition.

I am beside myself that this topic is even up for discussion! It’s about the covenent, and also about hygiene. Do a little bit of research and find that hygiene is a huge factor. And hey, good hygiene leads to happy-happy, healthy and YES it is humane. Don’t even go there. There are plenty of things grown-ups do to their bodies that are truly mutilations. Pierced tongues? And they’re supposed to be using their heads? Oh please.

Why circumcize?
1.Medical: Reduced medical problems for men and women (documented)
2.Appearance: The uncircumcized penis is less attractive (opinion)
3.Tradition: If it’s worked for thousands of years…..
4.Hygiene: Does the word “smegma” say anything to you? You don’t get
this after circumcision.
Why not circumcize?
1.Medical: Risk of damage to the penis. True- BUT this is exceedingly
rare. Do you think this practice would had endured for
thousands of years if there was a significant risk?

Aside from the religious reasons, it is documented specifically that circumsized males have a significantly lower incidence of HIV infection. A really good reason to promote circumcision for all males.

There are NO documented medical problems that are helped with circumcision. In 1999 the American Academy of Pediatricians REMOVED their recommendation of routine circumcision. There are lots of myths but the reality is no medical advantages.
Has it “worked” for thousands of years? Do some research and see that an intact penis “works” better.
Unless you bathe less than once a month there is no smegma issue or other cleanliness issues. There are lots of books on the subject – written by Jews – where you can learn the facts. I do not advocate or object to circumcision but I do hope people make informed decisions by getting the facts first.
When my son and daughter in law told me that my soon to be born (at that time) grandson would not be circumcised my husband and I were totally shocked and distraught. We spent weeks and weeks doing research and came to understand how they feel. Medically and morally not circumcising wins. For those who believe that the 613 mitzvot are the word of God – then circumcising wins. Note that there are Rabbi’s who do not believe God meant to remove the entire foreskin when he told Abrahahm to perform a circumcision. That is yet another issue.
I wish this was not an issue for Jews, but it will become a bigger and bigger issue as time passes. The documentary CUT, by Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon, an orthodox Jew who questioned circumcision will cause quite a buzz when it is released nationwide.
Each person will have to make their own personal decision based what is best for the child, not fear of hurting the grandparents. The grandparents will come around, but the cild, once CUT, cannot be mended. Make an informed choice for the child.

It is sad that some Jews are questioning the efficacy of being circumcised. As a Muslim and as a medical doctor, I have studied the controversy surrounding circumcision. My catholic son circumcised his son while my catholic daughter, much to my chagrin, is very much against it.
Indeed it is a decision of an individual but we must remember that giving up traditions may be okay for us but do we have the wisdom to see what we are doing for our future generations. Do we have the facts, figures and long-term outcome of our decisions or are we just playing macho because we want to express our opinion or exercise our authority.

ShielaD has it wrong and backwards. I sure hope she and her daughters don’t have pierced ears or tongues or worse, considering the uselessness of those rituals and their complications.
Talking about religion and health is mixing apples and oranges. Part of Jewish observance is the committment of ones children to it as well. Jews are a nation under law and uncircumcised males are simply not citizens and cannot participate in communal life, this is clear in our constitution. We are called a nation of priests, and a circumcision is part of our uniform. I won’t show up at the Shaolin Temple in a non-regulation robe and haircut and tattoo either, OK?
Jews have no ‘God Police’ to coerce anybody else including other Jews, but retain the civil right of judging and accepting or rejecting them on our own terms. Those intending to affiliate with the classically oriented Jewish society will consider that in the best interest of the child. If others choose to flake off, or choose to group together and redefine Judaism or find radical Rabbis and Rabbits to soothe their feelings, that’s fine too.
If all the non-Jewish Americans stop circumsizing, nobody asked them to in the first place, least of all God and the Jews. We have a working assumption that our Biblical laws are all good for us and our community and society, or at least not bad for us. But if information comes out that circumcision is good for us, that’s great, and if information comes out that it’s bad for us, it still won’t be worse than smegma and cervical cancer and AIDS. We are not worried about it. All the Africans in the AIDS belt are lining up to get circumsized after repeated really good studies unequivocally demonstrate hugely significant protection from AIDS, here is just one discussion out of dozens I could post, http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2000/valley_hiv_transcript.shtml
and millions of lives can be saved before anyone gets a better idea. But no pressure, from the Jews at least.

Julie: If you are worried about hygiene maybe you should bathe your child more than once a week.
Gary: If circumcision is okay because it’s been around for thousands of years then I guess Jewish persecution is okay as well.
Bonnie: If you are worried about significantly lower incidence of HIV infection maybe you should teach your children not to have sex with partners who are HIV positive.
Shakil: I’m sorry that you think it is sad that Jews question the efficacy of anything. Maybe you miss the old days when religious zealots had more control over their flock but I’m sorry to report that it’s 2007.
Whether or not I decide to circumcise my child is between God and I, not you and I.

I am Jewish and had my son circumcized in a religious ceremony. I have no regrets.
I live in South Africa. The HIV/Aids rate is one of the highest in the world. It is said that more than 40% of the southern African population has been infected with this deadly virus.
It has been scientifically proven that circumcision has lowered the rate of HIV in males by 60%. See the attached article.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20070719101508103C715124
Although circumcision is certainly NOT a cure for HIV/Aids, nor a green light to have unprotected sex, it has been proven to reduce the risk of infection in males.
While it is a personal choice for all individuals, one should take into account scientific evidence. In this case, circumcision could be a life saving choice in the long term.
Carin, Johannesburg, South Africa

It seems like every one, wheather religeous or not, would like to impose their way of living on to others. today it is circumcission , tomorow its going to be the word of God, that will make no sense to them, fight over these issues will lead us nowhere. If having your sons sexual organ slightly longer then others,makes you a more smarter and well informed person, or it gives you some other kind of pleasure, please continue to do so. But just keep it within the walls of your house and let others go their way. Trust me we will never pull his knicker’s down to see wheather he is Man or a Man hiding behind a skin.

I must admit it is kind of irrational. I haven’t come across a legitimize reason to conduct circumcision, a reason that is satisfying intelectually. It is an invasive, painful, unnecessary operation that is done without the consent of the victim, which is usually helpless.

If I weren’t Jewish I wouldn’t circumsize my sons, but since I am I regard it as an important religious and cultural requirement for Jews and Moslems. The medical benefits seem minor either way, so I’d suggest people without the tradition not do it.

In 1952 when my brother was circumsized I was 10 and frightened to death what they would do to my brother. During the ritual I ran and hid and covered my ears-sure I would hear horrid screaming. When it was over someone found me and that was that. Years later he told me he had no memory of it and neither did any other Jewish guys he knew.
It was not until I had 2 grandsons that I saw the ritual up close. Boh babies were “done” by different people in different places so it can not be just a conincidence.
Among other things I noticed they put a lot of whisey on the finger of the one doing the circumcision. One had been a bit fussy before, the other baby was sleeping. Do not know how they were able to not really disturb the babies but I was amazed-there was no crying, jumping anything. They fussed more when people dress them!
It just sounds horrible and cruel if you do not know about it.
Also I think the stories of circumsizing teen girls in parts of Affrica scared people from Jewish ritual. Is not the same!
Laura

OOPS-forgot to say that the mohel (circumsizer) had whiskey on his finger that was gently put on the baby’s lips and in his mouth.
It worked great.
Laura

It is also very good for health reasons. It makes it much easier to keep clean which in turn means less likely for infections. Especially when a child is small it is hard enough to get them to clean their body much less to clean good enough to keep from getting infections. In a lot of was it is a good thing and it is not bad when it is done properly while the child is a baby.I am a RN who has worked in the nursery with many newborn babies and they don’t realize what was done and never remember anything. It is nothing like it being done whenthey are much older.

I have read many places that there is a direct connection between non-circumcized men and women having cervical cancer. With this thought and supporting statistics of the lower rate of cervical cancer among Jewish women, I would lean toward it being a good tradition to follow.

To lynnj and any others who hold to the same opinion,
Judaism is NOT blindly following ancient superstitions! Everything that G-d gave to us was to set us apart to a certain peoplehood and task. Our teachings are social mores and object lessons. Our rituals are spiritual anchors. Just as the generation of Jehoshua learned – when we abandon our roots, the tree begins to die. A whole generation had to be circumcised to remind and re-establish at that time (see Joshua in the T-N-K. We, as humans, do so well ,also, when we have tangible reminders before our eyes to keep us on track. Circimcision is a reminder, esp. to the gender that has a tendency to be more physically/sexually and less spiritually minded. I think G-d knew what ‘he’ was doing.

I’m over age 60, and was circumcised at birth and don’t remember a thing about it. However, i have been a practicing nudist most of my life – and i can tell you that there have been times i wished that i had the protection of the foreskin, from scratches, abrasions – and especially from sunburn! I don’t believe that the Hebrews who initiated circumcision ever thout about protection – possibly bec they never dreamed of going about daily business in the buff. BTW, how can some rabbis condemn tattooing as defacing the body that G-d has given us, and yet condone circumcision? (i don’t have any tattoos – i don’t even like them)

My posting is in response to the nudist. I like to walk around in the buff in my house too. I believe that the Bible doesn’t wish for us to tattoo ourselves, because G-d didn’t want us to have any graven images on our body (that whole idolatry thing).

I have read the postings & agree & disagree with certain ones. I am also an OR-RN, & have assisted at many circumcisions, newborn, toddler, mid age boys & adults. It is wholeheartedly agreed in the medical world that Circumcision is needed as a way to keep clean & avoid infection. As a ritual of the Jewish & Catholic faiths, the tradition should continue together w/ the medical reasoning behind it. The Torah (or Bible) states clearly that this is necessary & that tattoos are forbidden. Just read Leviticus, all the rules are laid out there very clearly, and the reason is because God tells us so. Nothing more, no need to question it. It is a moral issue of believing the truth as it is written, following the laws, whether it be food issues, circumcision, or any of the 613 commandments, not just the popular 10.
It would behoove anyone to follow the laws completely, do good for others & pray whenever you can. I worry about that day, & hope I can measure up to what was expected of me on this earth.

not jewish, not male, healthy or not, keep in mind the fact that the circumcised penis is much more attractive to the human eye than the uncircumcised……..

I pray the circumsicism remains a part of Jewish life. It is most adamently stated that it is to set us apart from other peoples. Abraham was circumcised at age of 99. This shows how important it is. Also converts must be circumcised to enter the covenent. It obviously would be allot easier to go through if society at large would continue to have babies circumcised and have only the short brit (a drop of blood) at conversion. I agree that it is also easier to keep clean, and also to look alike to your family members. I say that all men should be circumcised; and especialy all Jewish males. This is not a mitzvah to be thrown out by any Jewish denomination.

I was married to a man of christian /german decent who was not circumsied at birth. It had to be done for medical reasons at the age of 13. i can not tell you how tramatized he was by it!! when we were expecting our son,i was under the care of midwives, who do not believe it is a good thing. It almost brokke us up, and resulted in a big confrontation at the office! I agreed to have our son circumsized, and my husband was in the nursery with our son and DR.!

Forgo circumcision?! What will we Jews think of next? Why are we always willing to forgo the fundamental and underlying components of our ancient and beautiful faith? This new ritual of welcoming boys into the world wihtout circumcision is one more way in which Jews are looking for ways to cop-out of following and keeping the ancient laws. It is not OUR right to forgo what G-d has commanded us and expects us to do! Who are we to decide if what G-d wants us to do is moral or not? It has also been proven over time that the health benefits of circumcision far outweigh those of not circumcising. The Torah and our sages were pretty smart and understood the benefit of this MITZVAH not just form a halachic point of view but from a health one too. Come on fellow Jews, stop trying to pretend Judaism isn’t the most ethical and moral of all the religions.

You’re kidding right? Give up circumcision? This is pretty much the most non-kosher of non-kosher ideas. Okay, I understand why some Jews choose not to keep kosher homes, in terms of food. However, this Mitzvah is not about pleasure- or mutilation- it is about keeping the sexual health of the community through marriage. Often those who oppose circumcision do so on the basis of the idea that it limits a man’s sexual pleasure, and they defend this on the basis of it being akin to sexual mutilation for an infant. I think this is crazy- its like saying that cutting the umbilical cord is cruel. This practice for infants is meant to make it the LEAST traumatic for them- it is done well before any sexual awareness, or sexual identity- however, the ritual and practice welcome the child into the community as a future adult male member of the Jewish people. An uncircumsised Jewish boy could grow up to have problems within the Jewish community as a young adult. I think we need to keep the mitzvah and not assign “modern” explanations to practices that have keep our identity, and physical health between husband and wife for millenia.

Circumcision may represent physical abuse to some, and it may represent physical submission to others. The important thing is to remember that it was intended to represent Spiritual submission. Phsical circumcision will not gain you eternal life. It is the circumcision of the heart that leads us to this reward. Hopefully, we can see the importance of the physical symbol in our trials, and acknowledge that there are also physical benefits to it. The most beneficial act is the spiritual act, and this requires no physical representation at all.

I am not Jewish, but I work in a hospital and see almost every little baby boy be mutilated with circumcision and I hear their screams and I see their little legs put into straps, they are not able to eat before or after. These babies are a day old. They are just trying to be here, let alone be circumcised. If my 3rd child had been a boy, I would not have done it. I would like to know what god will say to these drs. who are mutilating these babies, it is not any different to me than African or Indian girls being mutilated, except it is when they are older, and that is very cruel, but who are we to say that all babies don’t remember that pain? Only god can answer my questions. I am eager to hear his answer. If god wanted our genitals a certain way, why aren’t we born like that?

I think it’s easy for American Jews to relativize the various aspects of Judaism, and religion in general, because we live in a highly tolerant society where most of us expect to be respected simply for being Jewish, and we have the freedom to choose how to live our Judaism. American Jews are also following the general American custom of avoiding thorny or difficult aspects of their religion. Of course, there are many problems with halakha and always have been because no human endeavor is perfect; every religious and moral system continues to allow inhumane atrocities to occur. However, I wonder if people really think long and hard (no pun intended ) before doing away with a custom that not only dates back to the beginning of Jewry, but has, in every place and generation, served to define the Jews as a people and to (from the Torah’s perspective) seal them into the covenant with God. Even when Jews were suffering tremendously, and much more aware of the reality of pain than most modern-day Americans, they circumcised their sons because they knew it was a cornerstone of their faith and their people.
From a medical perspective, I have not heard a good argument for why circumcision is atrocious or inhumane. It is in no way comparable to the female genital mutilation that is traditional in African societies. As far as I can tell (and granted, I’m not male), it just does not seem to be that big of a deal. Why aren’t we railing against parents who pierce their children’s ears, or who shape their foreheads into a culturally desirable shape, or who jam rings around their necks to create a preferred long neck? American parents don’t seem overly concerned about the position of their baby’s head or limbs, which may make it more susceptible to scoliosis or other problems. Parents alter their children in myriad physical and psychological ways, so why are we so focused about this one ritual, especially when it has deep religious and cultural significance? In light of Americans’ notoriously casual approach to child-rearing in general, compared with other developed countries, I think it’s ironic that circumcision has been singled out.

Circumcision is Male Genital Mutilation, plain and simple. And the argument that God wants it is the weakest and most suspect of all motivations. Think of how many other atrocities have been commited under the cover of that excuse.

I must note some things about circumcision.
a. The Most High DID rather strongly sugest it.
b. It doesn’t reduce sexual sensitivity(I speak from experience)!
c. what, would you prefer waiting till adulthood? Any trauma from the procedure done in infancy is as buried as the birth experience.
d. women, throughout their life, are subject to numerous indignities.
what, men can’t even deal with one?

Charles
a. … and a lot of other things (if any) which we cheerfully ignore.
b. It’s not the quantity, it’s the quality.
c. Not so, Taddio et al. found greater reaction to other pains months later. Let adults have the freedom to decide what parts of their own bodies they may keep. I’d have thought that was fairly fundamental in the US.
d. We should be trying to reduce and remove indignities, not equalise them

Circumcision is a way to protect boys from becoming infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. When a man can not acquire a disease from a woman, he can not pass it on to his family. Unless the man is gay and submissive, it is a protection for an entire family. I have had both my sons circumcised and neither was tramatized. They could eat immediately after and were able to live nice normal lives with wives and children. Neither has ever acquired a sexually transmitted disease and are both healthy. Neither one is in therapy for the trauma. Find a real cause. Female genetal mutilation is equivelent to removing the penis and scrotem and forcing the testicles into the abdomen.

HPV (human papilloma virus) which causes cervical cancer in women is also responsible for penile cancer in males. Circumcision, which reduces the risk of males acquiring STD’s, also reduces the incidence of penile cncer in males. Current statistics -
Estimated new cases and deaths from penile (and other male genital) cancer in the United States in 2007: New cases: 1,280; Deaths: 290 -
may change empirically as the incidence of circumcision continues to diminish in the U.S. The medical profession seems to have forgotten the lessons of the 1920′s and 30′s when non Jews increased the practice to help prevent STD transmission and penile cancer.

Penile cancer rates are about the same as vulvar cancer rates, with about the same mortality. So let’s start cutting baby girls too. After all, there’s no medical study proving that the safe and effective removal of the labia results in any change of sexual sensation or function, and think of the lives that would be saved! Also, neonatal mastectomy to prevent breast cancer would save lots of lives – far more than circumcision – and it would be best to do it in the neonatal period when the pain is not remembered. And what about lip cancer? That kills far more than penile. Removing neonatal lips also prevents infection with Herpes, and prevents premarial kissing. Of course, there’s no Medical Study (TM) that could prove that people whose lips were removed feel anything different than those who have lips.

A GREAT BIBLICAL DISCOVERY:
THE 2nd COMMANDMENT FORBIDS CIRCUMCISION
Already in the middle of the 19th century, a German movement of Reform rabbis opposed circumcision on Biblical grounds: the Ten Commandments do not prescribe it, it was not practised during the Exodus (circumcision was set back into practice after Moses’s death, in Gilgal) and Moses was opposed to his son’s circumcision, were their main arguments. Rabbi Abraham Geiger, their leader, thought circumcision an attempt against the child (“a barbarous and bleeding rite”) and that the custom isolates the Jews. This provoked an outcry in the Jewish community, rabbinical authorities answered their arguments and, at the end of twenty years, the German Reform rabbis came back to circumcision. But the “heresy” gained the USA where several rabbis practise a non mutilating ceremony of nomination. Geiger and his friends had perfectly understood that Moses was opposed to circumcision but, unfortunately, they had not made our discovery of the falsification of the meaning of the Second Commandment by orthodox rabbis, from antiquity until now. This falsification hides that this commandment forbids circumcision. Indeed the orthodox interpretation understands the Biblical text:
“For I, the Eternal, your God, I am a jealous God, who punish the crime of fathers upon sons up to the third and fourth generation… ” (Exodus, 20: 5),
as if it said:
“… who punish sons for the crimes of fathers…”,
which it does not, merely meaning:
“… who punish the crime of fathers upon sons up to… great-grandfathers… ”
Beyond great-grandfathers, it’s true, there is nobody alive to punish. But this means that such a crime must be punished without statute of limitations. Indeed, a crime striking a definite group of the population (male children) is a crime against creation (humanity). It would also be absurd that the Second Commandment would reduplicate the Sixth: “Thou shall not kill”. At the contrary, it points out crime against young boys as particularly reprehensible.
Besides, it would be preposterous to consider this Commandment a condemnation that would strike irresponsible sons and grand-sons, making God suspicious till injustice.
It must be added that, just a few lines below the 2nd Commandment, the Bible enlightens it saying:
“If however you build a stone altar for me, do not build it with carved stones for by touching them with the iron, you made them lay.” (Exodus, 20: 21-22).
Sigismond
oldsigismund@hotmail.com
This was a summary, read the whole article at http://intactwiki.org/Image:The_Ten_Commandments_against_circumcision.doc

Circumcision is a barbarous act on injustice and should never happen to anyone.
People that defend circumcision are only buying into what society or their religion tells them is correct.
There is simply no reason to have a circumcision.
And to the person that said women prefer circumcision, well it may be true that you personally like males to be circumcised, but that does not mean that other women do. You are wrong to reason from parts to the whole.
I hope you all have a blessed day.
Baruch Hashem!

Girls can give full stroke hand jobs only if your shaft can glide full stroke, if you have a foreskin then it does – if cut off no more full strokes!

Masturbation feels so good when the forskin allows full strokes, so much that when in between dates you can be relived so well!