By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

Mazel Tov! It is a boy and the bris is going to come out on the second days of Yom Tov. Problem: The Mohel cannot come! There has been a n emergency or some other issue. Now one needs to scramble and get another mohel. But it is so late! Is another Mohel obligated to come – if there is no one else that they can find?

It is perhaps a quandary of many mohelim. How much must one give up of one’s Oneg Shabbos or Oneg Yom Tov to perform a Bris Milah on time?

Often it is quite difficult to get a Mohel to come for a Shabbos or a Yom Tov. The Mohel and or his family would have to spend Shabbos away from home and perhaps other family.

Is a Mohel obligated to go when there is no other available Mohel willing to do so in order for the Bris to take place on the eighth day itself?

Does it push aside Oneg Shabbos or Oneg Yom Tov – not only of his own, but of his family’s as well?

One should realize that this is only when there is no other Mohel available. Generally speaking it is the parents’ obligation to ensure that their child receive a Bris Milah on time– not that exclusively of the Mohel.

ERRONEOUS VIEW

Some parents’ believe that the Mohel is obligated to fit to the schedule of the parents. This is not true. The issue is primarily that of the parents but when there is no available Mohel – the issue is on others as well. And while it is true that we want the Mitzvah to be performed as early as possible on account of Zrizim Makdimim l’Mitzvos – that requirement does not push off the Mohel’s Oneg Shabbos or Simchas Yom Tov.

THE OPINIONS

The Avnei Naizer (OC Vol. II 392) writes that a Mohel is exempt because of Osaik BaMitzvah patur min haMitzvah – he is already involved in a Mitzvah – that of Oneg Shabbos or Simchas Yom Tov.

The Chayei Odom (Klal 68:19), however, is unsure.

The Maharsham (Vol. I #209) in an attempt to resolve the Chayei Odom’s question rules that it is, in fact, obligatory.

Dayan Weiss in Minchas Yitzchok volume II Siman 75 cites two views. The Bais She’arim (OC #120) writes that there is, in fact, an obligation. His logic is that since Milah pushes aside Shabbos it should certainly push aside Kavod Shabbos!

What about walking two and a half hours to a Milah? In this case most Mohelim would do it and are of the opinion that one is obligated to do so.

What about if the location is past the Techum of Yom Tov? The answer is that it is prohibited. Rav Chaim Oizer Grodzinsky zt”l once ruled, however, that if it is unknown whether the location is, in fact, past the Techum and it is not possible to find out – then one may be lenient and count this as a safaik on a derabanan.

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