Yeshivaworld reported HERE (1/19/06) about a female Mohel. Well now the “State of Israel” had it’s first ever “Brit Milah” done by a woman. Read and be sick. Nebach….. Back in 1997 when she began performing ritual circumcisions, Rochelle Schwartz became only the second woman in Canada to break into the male-dominated practice.
Recently, she laid claim to another pioneering initiative that she’s likely the first woman in modern times to perform a Bris Milah in the State of Israel.
“It was the highlight of my career to have the honour and the privilege of doing a brit milah as a woman in Israel,” she said.
Adding to the satisfaction for the Toronto-area doctor was the fact that the child was her cousin’s baby and that her elderly aunt, the baby’s grandmother, was present.
“It was beautiful, emotional,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz has returned from Israel, basking in the glow of the very special life-cycle event. Not only did she perform the Bris before family and friends, she impressed her Israeli relatives with the inclusive ceremony that she has developed over the years.
Her aunt, Radina, “led the blessing with me. It was so nice.”
Schwartz’s service goes beyond what might be expected at a standard brit. She refers to passages in the biblical book of Genesis on the topic, explaining in some detail the reasons behind the the ritual and referring as well to key midrashes.
Her service is egalitarian and participatory, she said. “I incorporate women into the ceremony.”
For many Israelis, it was an educational experience, she added.
Dorothy Greenbaum, president of the National Organization of American Mohalim, said, “we are so incredibly proud of Rochelle for her breakthrough work in Israel, being what we believe was the first woman mohel to perform a bris in Israel.
“This is a country that sadly needs a Reform progressive voice and I know the baby, the family and the tradition were in extremely good hands with Rochelle.”
Greenbaum, a physician, added, “Hopefully it’s a first step towards training Reform mohalim in Israel so that progressive Jews there will have an option” that “is sensitive to modern families and [offers] the best of medical techniques.”
Canadians have become accustomed to Schwartz’s service. She performs an average of three brits per week for Reform and Conservative Jews, and at her circumcision clinic, she does another eight every second Friday for non-Jews, many of them Muslims.
Prior to departing for Israel, Schwartz contacted the representative of Israel’s ministry of health in Jerusalem who has jurisdiction over mohalim. She learned there were no impediments to her performing the ritual in Israel – mohalim are unregulated and pretty well anyone can claim to be one.
Based on her research, Schwartz believes no other woman in modern Israel has performed a ritual circumcision. Of course, there was Tzipporah, but that was in biblical times and it was Moses’ son who was circumcised.
(Source: CJN)
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55 Responses
I thought Purim was last Sunday. Then again in yenne medine everything is “venahapochu” and they never know the difference between Haman and Mordechai.
I’m not sure which is worse:To A) Have a female perform a bris-Or, B) for a reform jew not to have a bris done at all?-This therefore encouraging the non frum jews to have the option of doing the bris the way they’d like-the uncommon practice-by woman-but will nonetheless have a bris unlike many reform jews.
Where is it brought down that a lady cannot perform a Bris? Didn’t Tzipporah, the mother of Moshe perform his Bris? Are there confirmatory sources in Rishonim and Achronim and Poskim that specifically forbid a woman from being a Mohel – or should I say – Mohelet? Just asking.
are you alowed at all to do such a thing?
Does she have a yalmuka on her head? (I can’t tell from the picture?)
I suspect this is one of the least important issues we have to deal with regarding Reform
yimach shmoh – I hope the baby was a girl
Just a thought?
Parshas Shemos:Can A Woman Be A Mohel?
It was discussed in a shiur whether a woman can do mila. In Parshas Shemos we read how Tzippora gave her son a bris. The gemara in Avodah Zara (27a) has a machlokes whether a woman can be a mohel. The gemara asks, according to the opinion that a woman can’t do the mila, how do you understand the ma’aseh with Tzipporah? The gemara gives two answers, either a) Tzipporah asked someone else to do it b) Tzipporah started and Moshe finished the mila.
Machlokes Rishonim
How do we pasken? There is a machlokes Rishonim on this issue. Tosafos brings the opinion that a woman can not do the mila. This is also the shitta of the S’mak and Hagahos Mordechai. The Rif and Rosh (at the end of Perek 19 in Shabbo) and the Rambam pasken a woman could do the mila only if a man is not present. If there is a man around, the man should do the mila.
Mechabeir vs Rema
Both the Mechabeir and Rema (Y.D. Siman 264) pasken a woman could do the mila . However, the Rema adds on that the minhag is a woman should not do the mila. The Shach asks what is the Rema adding on to the Mechabeir. The Mechabeir would not disagree with the Rema.
The Aruch Hashulchan writes that the nafka mina between teh Mechabeir and rema is in acase where there is no male mohel in town but there is a male mohel in a different town. According to the Mechabeir one would not need to go to a different town to find a mohel and according to the Rema one should go to the other town because that is how the minhag evolved. Accordingto this the Rema would hold there is nothing wrong with a woman doing the mila, just teh minhag is that she doesn’t.
The Sefer HaBris gives a different hesber based on the Ra’avyah. Teh Ra’avyah understands teh Rema that he is being machmir for the shitta that a woman is posul. Therefore, we don’t use a woman because maybe she really can’t do the mila. The Mchabeir would hold that m’ikkar hadin a woman is kosher to do the mila but it is better to use a man.
Tichilas B’P’sul V’Sofo B’Kashrus
The gemra in Avodah Zara suggested that Tzipporah started the mila and Moshe finished the mila. This leads to the question, can a posul (an akum) start the mila if a kosher mohel finishes the job. Both teh Shut Beis Ya’akov (ayin Pischei Teshuva) and the Ohr Sameiach (hilchos mila)address this question. The both bring a rayah from the gemara in AZ that you could do this. However, the Ohr Sameiach points out that it would not work on Shabbos. On Shabbos, machshirei mila that can be done before Shabbos are not allowed to be done on Shabbos. (l’moshol if the mila knife breaks on Shabbos you can’t bring a new one if it involves carrying). Therefore, when a posul starts the mila it has the staus of machshirei mila since there is no mitzvah for the posul to do the mila. This machshirei mila could have been done before Shabbos (even though it would have been before day 8, since a posul mohel is doing the mila who cares when he starts it). Therefore, a posul can’t start the mila on Shabbos.
The Sefer Habris brings a teshuva from the Yidei Moshe that disagrees. He says this question is based on the machlokes in Chullin whether “yesh l’shchitah m’tichila ad sof” or “aino ella l’sof”. Since we pasken “yesh l’shchitah m’tichila ad sof”, we need a kosher mohel to do the whole mila.
Obviously the Ohr Sameiach disagrees with the comparison. I’ll leave this question hanging. How would the Ohr Sameiach answer the kasha from shechita?
Tzipporah’s bris wasn’t in Eretz Yisroel, it was on the way from Midyan to Mitzrayim via the Sinai desert (after that episode, Aharon met Moshe at Har Sinai).
eliezer, I don’t think it’s assur for a woman to perform a bris, the problem is when these women feminist “Rabbis” leave their natural tafkid and try to take the jobs of men. They use the excuse that these things were always held back from them, and now they can have equality.
The problem is, that a fish may be upset that it can’t fly like a bird, and a bird may be upset that it can’t swim like a fish, but that doesn’t make them try to be what they are not. Men and women have different tafkidim.
R’ Moshe has a teshuva about women and these mitzvos, and says that if it stems froms a love of kedushah, then many great women have done things like wearing tefillin or other mitzvos, and that’s fine. This is dangerous because they’re trying to make a political statement. It’s a churban, and they teach others and set a precedent.
Concerning whether a woman can do milah- its a sugya in Yevamos 27a. The gemorrah asks from Tziporrah. The shulchan aruch YD 264 paskens that a woman can do Milah. The Remah says that some opinions disqualify a woman and therefore its better to use a man.
Getting upset about this reminds me about frum yidden who get upset about mixed seating when non-frum Jews pray.
Believe me….we have bigger problems!!
How about belief in Hashem & the Torah????? Non-frum yidden usually don’t have the most basic aspects of Jewish hashkafa…..mixed seating or women ‘mohalot’ are just a SYMPTOM of the deep, massive problem we have.
I think we need to be clear for ourselves on what is right & wrong. But when dealing with the non-frum world – let this sort of stuff go (I know it may be hard to do!!)
Let’s keep our eyes on the prize folks!!
Invite them for Shabbos & to learn Torah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love the phrase “progressive Jews” referring to our brothers and sisters who know nothing about their heritage. The only thing they are progressing towards is intermarriage and assimilation. We need to rope those Jews back in before it gets too late!
VEHAMAYVIN YAVIN: DO NOT POST A PARTICULAR COMMENT SINCE IT WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED.
Shmuel 99
There is a difference between NON FRUM and REFORM. The basic principles of the Reform movement is to alter our tradition and curb the Torah ideals to suit their liberal views.
The Non Frum are not shoymer Torah U mitzvos but as long as they dont wana to change anything, they are not a threat to our religion.
I guess your not publishing my comment because of your “warning” VEHAMAYVIN YAVIN. But seriously, the question is legitamate and points to the stupidity of having a woman mohel.
What was your question Daniel? Can Yw modify to suit the setting ?
I don’t understand why are we not crying for her as she was
not privileged to be brought up with the sweetness of the Mesorah of Toras Hashem.
kitzur-dot-net wrote: “yimach shmoh”
Meshugeneh.
The milah is likely a kosher Milah according to at least one shitah. My question would be regarding the father, was he mikayam the mitzvah of milah? Isn’t the Mohel suppossed to be acting on behalf of the father? So, can the lady be motzi the man?
Kishke: It would seem that you don’t have a Mesora either.
How do you say Y’mach Sh’mo on a Jew especially a possible T’nokis Shenishba?
Basically I asked about a certain procedure whcih is part of the bris process and how it was performed.
kishke, thank you for setting me straight.
“ימח שמה” doesn’t befit her well enough.
Let’s try “שם רשעים ירקב”.
Kishke – I was kitzurs remark and I ignored it. I’m glad you didn’t! People throw that statement around for anybody and everybody – they should be ashamed of themselves!
Toras chesed – well said!
did she do it with all the right minhogim? i was just wondering if she did priah.
FIRST OF ALL I NEVER HEARD OF A WOMAN WEARING A KIPA NEW HALOCHOS WHY ISNT’T SHE WEARING A TALIS ALSO
kehotpub
fantastic post!
yosher koach
It’s interesting that the Halachic discussion seems secondary to the outpouring of venom in the direction of the “Mohelet(?)”. In my mind, the correct sequence is to first establish that someone is doing something wrong, and then bash the living daylights out of them in a manner commensurate with the degree of their “sin.”
People often think that they know what Halacha says about a specific issue, and may be surprised to find that it isn’t always that clear cut.
I THINK SHE SHOULD GROW A BEARD FIRST
Nameless –
He wont even let me post a small hint to what I asked but if you think about it enough, you can probably figure it out.
also, her name is רחל, which as roshei teivos (acronym) for: “רחמנא ליצלן”
Abi gezunt.
The kipa was to cover her hair so she could say the Brocho!
Thanks Daniel, I figured it out after I posted the question…..
jdspero-“why havent the toronto gedolim done anything…”? there are reform Jews everywhere that do many things that are kineged halocho and there is not much that anyone can do…what exactly would you like the Toronto rabonim to do? Say it isn’t right…Im sure they have already….discourage pp from using her – they’ve surely done that…its a battle that we all must undertake to bring these fargone Jews back to true Judaism…..lets not use the opportunity (once again) to bash gedolim …
Feif Un: I’m chalila not “feifing un” any Noshim Tzidkanius with that name, only this particular person, who “rachmona litzlon” has done some terrible things and major damage to Klal Yisroel. (You see that Chazal “attacked” some people with pure Yiddishe names, but they only meant that person, not anyone else)
Let us take a moment to be inspired:
The following powerful story appears in “Hassidic Tales of the Holocaust” by Yaffa Eliach:
One of the forced laborers in the camps relates that one day he heard frightening cries of anguish the likes of which he had never heard before. Later he learned that on that very day a selection had been made — of infants to be sent to the ovens. We continued working, tears rolling down our faces, and suddenly I hear the voice of a Jewish woman: “Give me a knife.”
I thought she wanted to take her own life. I said to her, “Why are you hurrying so quickly to the world of truth…” All of a sudden the German soldier called out, “Dog, what did you say to the woman?”
“She requested a pocketknife and I explained to her that it was prohibited to commit suicide.”
The woman looked at the German with inflamed eyes, and stared spellbound at his coat pocket where she saw the shape of his pocketknife. “Give it to me,” she requested. She bent down and picked up a package of old rags. Hidden among them, on a pillow as white as snow, lay a tender infant. The woman took the pocketknife, pronounced the blessing — and circumcised the child. “Master of the Universe,” she cried, “You gave me a healthy child, I return him to You a worthy Jew.”
While the question of whether a woman can do a bris or not stands, I would be more concerned with her comments: HEr inclusive service where the woman do the brachas and lead the service, where was the father male friends and relatives. Did she lead the benching also?
Modernistic attitudes like these are more dangerous to TRUE TORAH VALUES then a malchos Gemara
okey everyone listen it’s un heard of that a woman does a bris I never heard something like that in my life unberlivable reform yidden
Toras Chesed said:
Kishke: It would seem that you don’t have a Mesora either.
How do you say Y’mach Sh’mo on a Jew especially a possible T’nokis Shenishba?
You are confused. Someone else said “yimach shmoh.” I called him a meshugeneh. You have no complaint against me.
kitzur wrote:
kishke, thank you for setting me straight.
There is no setting you straight. On you it is said, עם עקש תתפל.
hashem yerachem!!!!!!!!! this should never happen again…..
kehotpub, your post was great. If all of the posts here were like yours, I would spend more time on the yw. unfortunatly, people tend to throw in silly comments about Narish keiten.
1)A reform Rabbi (not congregent)is a kofer! They know the torah & try to change it. Just speek to one! 2)The mishna brurah writes that when the refom took out ‘ yikum perkon’ from the sidder( the first thing they did) they had a ‘tayneh’ but becouse they did it to be ‘oker toras moshe’ it is ‘traif ‘ becouse they realy came to be oker the minhog same here. No matter what mechaber or rama pasken!
why do you give her recognition as a mohel? all she is in reality is a doctor who performed a circumcision a procedure even an inter can do. A bris consists of 3 parts, chituch -cutting, priah, peeling back the thin inner layer and metzitzah- suctioning off the blood so no clots form. I doubt if she did the last 2 steps! So what did she add to the ceremony? How could she possibly induct the baby into the covenant which she being a woman is not included in?
Kitzur dot net.
You made a few senseless comments,ok. But to have the nerve to submit those remarks under the pseudonym ‘KITZUR’ is totally outrageous!
For all those people who dont learn chumash out there a precednet was set when Zipporah gave Gershon a brit has she and Moshe were on their way to Mitzraim. Although in this case I doubt the woman has intentions that are lishma and is probably just acting out of left wing/feminist desires in which case obviously her actions are wrong.
londonbachur read a little that was mentioned many times already and in the article itself.
ANTHTER CHANCE FOR TROUBLE IN THE NON-RELEGES WORLD IN ISRAEL
Really, who cares?
And jdspero, what do you expect teh Rabbonim in Toronto to do?
and just one more point: I believe that if the mohel is not Shomer Shabbos, than the child remains an orel (please verify this)
As someone who lives in Canada, there’s something I don’t understand. Several posters seem to be waiting for the “Gedolim” to issue some sort of pronouncement on this issue. I can’t speak for the US or Israel, but here in Canada our Gedolim are not generally in the habit of issuing statements, publishing posters in the newspaper etc.
As much as people seem to be in a rush to be “mevatel their views,” they have to realize that there is something fundamentally unsustainable with the practice of waiting for guidance on every issue in an environment where guidance is simply not issued on every issue.
I assume that sometimes Gedolim remain silent due to the fact that the relevant issue is common sense, and that sometimes they remain silent because their modus operandi is not to hold a press conference every week to talk about how they feel about what’s going on in the world.
Again, I only know how it works in Canada. The only time we tend to see a Gadol’s name on something is for a straightforward issue such as donating to a certain cause etc.
jdspero:
Well, until the gedolim make their views known, you can just be mevatel your daas to me. (I’ll get back to you on what my position is.)
Yeah, I’m an askan. From the oskim b’Torah u’b’Mitzvos. And by this frume yid, there is such a thing as “common sense.” The Ribbono Shel Olam didn’t give you a brain to sit on the shelf. You’re supposed to use it. And He put you in this world to live and make decisions using that brain. So do it.
who was the sandik/sandikis or was there any? and i’m sure the bubba that was there had nice “yidishe naches” (for all thode critics waiting to jump on me this is all sarcastic) and moshet i think she shaves
holtzichfest:
1) she didn’t have “yiddishe” nachas, she had “goyishe” nachas, as one of Eisav’s sons is named Nachas.
2) there are 3 negative mitzvos that women don’t have to keep, and one of them is shaving.
btw…just wondering why “State of Israel” is written in quotes in the article.