By Rabbi Hayim Arking, Mohel First editon ������������������������������������������������ Adar 5770 Second editon - revised & expanded ������������������ Sivan 5771 Third impression ����������������������������������������� Tamuz 5772 Typesetting and Printing by: Hadaf Printing Inc. • 1370 51 St. • Brooklyn, NY 11219 Tel: 718.633.5067 • Fax: 718.879.5869 COPYRIGHT © 2012 BY: Rabbi Hayim Arking 704 Hoey Ave. / Long Branch N.J. 07740 rabbiarking@ohrhalacha.org / 732.331.7002 OHR HALACHA VfKV RUT ,uagku runak snkku sunkk In honor of Clem and Allegra Mandalawi By their children and grandchildren. לעילוי נשמת Al (Slelat) and Esther Cohen Abraham ben Altoon a"h Esther bat Hananh a"h and l'ilui nishmat Ronnie Cohen Aharon Haim ben Esther a"h by Morris and Rozy Cohen In Honor of Simha bat Soulika *** In Honor of Suzanne bat Rahel *** In Memory of David and Rahel Belhans 11 Sivan 5767 / 24 Kislev 5771 *** In Honor of Aaron Ben Soultana Dedicated in blessed memory of Rabbi Yosef ben Estrella Oziel, z”l 4 Av 5730; August 6, 1970 - 13 Tamuz 5772; July 3rd 2012 Rav, leader and teacher of Hechal Shalom Sephardic Congregation of Surfside Florida May his teachings and deeds be remembered by all who he touched. In honor of the wedding of Shelomo and Leah Akkad 10 Sivan 5771 June 12, 2011 The Akkad Family Contents Foreword � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �9 Acknowledgments � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �13 Overview � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �15 Zohar � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �17 Brit V’Torah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �81 Chapter 1 — The Value of Milah The significance of Milah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �85 The Brit and Erets Yisrael � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �86 Why is circumcision necessary to receive Erets Yisrael? � � �88 Ribbi and Antoninus � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �89 Entry key to Gan Eden � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �91 The joy of this mitsvah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �92 Chapter 2 — Planning for the Milah On the eighth day � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �95 Why on the eighth day? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �97 Under what situation is the Brit postponed? � � � � � � � � � � � � �99 Inviting guests � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �101 The Zohar � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �102 Choosing the mohel � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �103 Chapter 3 — The Day of the Brit Yehi Shem � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �107 The seniye and lighting candles � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �108 Should tefillin be worn? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �109 Baruch haba � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �110 Eliahu’s chair � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �112 The sandak � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �113 A special time for prayer � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �114 Chapter 4 — The Brit What does the knife look like? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �117 What does the mohel do? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �117 What do we do with the foreskin? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �119 The wine � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �120 The besamim � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �121 Naming the baby � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �122 The seudah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �123 Milah and Torah education � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �124 Pizmonim � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �127 Seder Brit Milah � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �139 Foreword It is the tradition of our holy and blessed community to read the following portions from the Zohar on the night before a Brit Milah. Torah study in the house where the child is brings tremendous merit to the child and all those involved, serving to guard them from harm. 1 The yetser hara attempts to stop the performance of this wonderful mitsvah which protects us from Gehinnom. 2 In addition, holiness and blessing is brought to the child by studying the night before the Brit. 3 It is customary to have a minyan of ten men attend the study session, for the Shechinah rests in the presence of a minyan � 4 Some have the custom to stay up the entire night to study Torah, and some even do so for several nights before the Brit Milah. 5 In some communities, Torah students were paid to study the entire night. The numerical value of ברית equals to תלמידי חכמים � 6 By such study, the effect of the infusion of holiness into the child is that much greater. Someone once asked his rabbi, “How can I raise righteous children?” עיין זכר דוד פרק ל' .1 עיין זכר דוד סוף פרק י"ז .2 עיין תוכחת חיים להר' פלאג'י פרשת לך לך .3 עיין סנהדרין ל"ט. .4 עיין זכר דוד פרק ל' .5 עיין שם זכר דוד, ועיין בתוכחת חיים שם .6 הרותו יתירב ו /ו ו 10 The rabbi replied, “By staying up the night before the Brit.” “How could that alone accomplish such an enormous goal?” The Rabbi replied, “By staying up I mean many sleepless nights raising the child and praying. The night before the Brit is just the first of many such nights.” The study of any part of Torah is beneficial on this night. There are, however, various customs regarding what to study. 7 The one our communities have adopted is from Sefer Brit Yitshak � Brit Yitshak was compiled approximately three hundred years ago. It contains specially selected portions of Torah Neviim, Ketubim, Mishnah and Zohar relating to Brit Milah The excerpt adapted is of the Zohar, comprised of a portion in Parashat Lech Lecha and a second portion from the introduction to the Zohar . These portions of the Zohar were especially selected by our Hahamim to teach us the importance and power of the mitsvah of Brit Milah, the many benefits afforded to those who fulfill the mitsvah of Brit Milah, and the importance of guarding the Brit Milah from impurity. The Ben Ish Hai 8 and others instructed that the Zohar not be translated. Hence, with the direction of Rabbi Yaakov Hillel shlita and others, the Zohar is presented here accompanied only by either a paraphrasing or a summary עיין זכר דוד פרק ל"ג .7 שו"ת רב פעלים ח"א סי' נ"ו .8 11 / BRIT V'TORAH in English. It is my fervent hope that this work will help us appreciate the magnitude of this mitsvah and encourage us to uphold the holiness of the Brit Milah by guarding our eyes, hearts and minds from impurity. By doing so, we enable ourselves to gain all the benefits afforded by this mitsvah � The Gemara 9 teaches that we are so beloved to Hashem that He surrounded us with mitsvot : tsisit on our garments, tefillin on our heads and arms, and mezuzot on our doorposts. This is what David Hamelech stated in Tehillim (119:164), “For seven during the day I praise You.” In other words, the head with tefillin , the arm with tefillin , the four corners of tsisit and the mezuzah . When David Hamelech entered the bathhouse, which has no mezuzah , and removed his tefillin and tsisit , he exclaimed, “Woe to me that I stand bare of mitsvot !” However, when he remembered his Brit Milah, he was consoled. The question arises. Just because his father performed a Brit Milah for him, how does that compensate for his not wearing tsisit and tefillin and for not having a mezuzah on the doorpost? The answer is that Milah is not the same as other mitsvot . For example, when one takes a lulav or eats matsah , the mitsvah is completed after the taking or the eating. Brit Milah, however, is a constant mitsvah , for it continuously upholds the branding of holiness upon him. Therefore, just as the mitsvah of tefillin or tsisit is continuously effective מנחות מ"ג: .9 הרותו יתירב ו /ו ו 12 as long as it is on the body, so is Brit Milah continuously effective because it is etched onto the body, endowing us with holiness as long as we live and beyond. In our times, when we no longer wear tefillin the entire day, we should be even more aware that we are, so to speak, wearing this mitsvah of the Brit Milah. 10 Wherever we go or whatever we see, we must realize that we are always accompanied with the Brit. עיין צרור המור פרשת לך לך ד"ה ויאמר אלוקים לאברהם .10 13 / BRIT V'TORAH Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude to Rabbi Max Anteby for a masterful review and design. With experience and dedication, he brought much vibrancy to this work. May Hashem bless him and his family with all they need to continue serving Him. I am very grateful to Mrs. Rochelle Gemal for her dedication to ensure a professional editing. May Hashem grant her, her husband and their children abundant blessings. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Rabbi Edmond Nahum for reviewing the paraphrasing of the Zohar for accuracy and for sharing his wealth of knowledge by providing many footnotes. May he have complete protection from all harm and may he merit seeing much blessing. I thank Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Berman for contributing to this project by enhancing the level of scholarship. Special thanks go to Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Abadi and Mr. and Mrs. Sonny Gindi for supporting this project from its inception. May Hashem bless my esteemed parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie and Linda Arking, who are a goldmine of הרותו יתירב ו /ו ו 14 righteousness, with many years of health and blessing. May they continue to see much nahat from all of their children and grandchildren, To my dear in-laws, Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe and Tziporah Franco, my deepest appreciation for all the kindness they bestow upon us. May they see much blessing from the entire family. I am eternally grateful to my wife, who enables me to continue my Torah learning constantly. May she merit seeing the fruits of her labor. In addition, I thank all those who helped and encouraged me along the way. With boundless gratitude and humility, I thank Hashem for allowing me to grow and reach where I am today. With Hashem’s help, may I merit to continue studying Torah with clarity of mind, and with His blessings, may we continue serving Him all of our days. Sivan 5771 Hayim Asher Arking