ב"ה
Friday, 28 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 8, 2024

NYC, Jews Reach Deal on Bris

The Bill de Blasio Administration reached a tentative agreement with a coalition of rabbinical organizations regarding metzitzah b'peh. Full Story

Merkos To Push School Guidelines

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Regardless of this backpeddling by the DOHMH...
March 2, 2015 12:46 am

They are maintaining their biased attack on a religious practice in “warning” parents about unfounded risks associated with Bris Milah and MBP. They have not proven even one case. How is this good news that they agree not to impose illegal requirements, but instead maintain that they will “only” employ intimidation against the practice …and with the blessing of the Jewish contingent no less?! And for what reason did the Jewish contingent settle for this as if it’s in some way acceptable for the DOHMH to do this?! This is nothing more than a more “sophisticated” antisemitism. And why would… Read more »

such a great Mohel
February 25, 2015 11:34 pm

If you are looking for a Mohel, Levi Heber has done all my children on shlichus and comes to members in our community, such a mentch, so sensitive and caring. A real shliach! Thank You Levi for giving yourself over for the mitzvah of Mila ad Lev Nefesh!!
a fan of yours

did I miss something?
February 25, 2015 2:13 pm

torah says a mohel who does not do mpb is retired because he puts the baby in danger. who can argue with Torah and say it is dangerous to do it.
midrash says. 1st Beis Hamikdash was in merit of removing orlah. 2nd in merit of priah, and 3rd in merit of Metzitza.

to #4
February 25, 2015 12:34 pm

Doctors do not have this type of contact with patients in such a direct physical way. Logic!! I think mohelim need not be blindly assumed to be o.k. but have to go for testing once a year and be licensed. This can be under a special vaad .For goodness sake, even mishulochim need certificates of authenticity in many cities.

The most relevant question here:
February 25, 2015 11:26 am

Has there EVER been a case of an infant getting this disease, in which it has been conclusively proven by DNA match, that the source of the infection has without a doubt been MBP from the mohel who did the bris milah?

Much more to this story
February 25, 2015 11:21 am

This article was almost certainly taken in whole or at least significant part from a NYC press release. The fact is that this issue was raised and thoroughly investigated years ago, and it was found that there has never been a case in recorded history of a baby contracting HSV-1 from a mohel. There have indeed been several unfortunate cases in which babies contracted HSV-1 not long after their bris, but those cases involved other potential sources of the infection. There were political factions that sought to portray the cases as a result of metzitzah bapeh, but the medical data… Read more »

risk?
February 25, 2015 10:18 am

looking at the numbers there is an extremely low risk. of the 6cases claiming herpes after bris, 1 was tested and disproven. the others were never proven.
the biggest risk is scaring parents from giving their children a kosher bris. many parents who gave their children brissim in the past are using hospital doctors or no bris at all.
we should be teaching the benefit of bris. physical and spiritua l. metzita bpeh is shomer habris. you are risking intermariage and molestation

Sholom Dov Cohen
February 25, 2015 10:08 am

It may be a positive development tto form a board of registered Mohelim who would be tested on all the pertinent Halochos and a include in the by-laws a proviso that all members are medically tested for disease on a regular basis.

article misleading
February 25, 2015 9:24 am

The city’s decision was not based on science, but on bias. There has been no scientific evidence connecting the newborn deaths to MBP. All the evidence is anecdotal, but causation was never proven.
That said, glad that the mohelim are working with the city for a compromise, and kudos to Rabbi Heber, who knows how to get things done, without hoo-hah.

To number 5
February 25, 2015 9:16 am

Because that is simply a noose with which one day they would hang people in civil and eventually criminal court. It’s a form of subtle coercion.

# 1 above
February 25, 2015 3:39 am

Raises the most obvious solution to the problem. Was that suggestion found wanting? Is there a timing issue? Otherwise, why not require mohelim to re recertify annually with a test?

to number 2
February 25, 2015 3:14 am

What was wrong with keeping parents aware by making them sign a consent form?!

to #1
February 25, 2015 2:06 am

for the same reason that not all doctors are tested before they do any procedure!!!!!!!

thanks Rabbi Levi Heber
February 25, 2015 1:53 am

Thank you for all you have done !
It is very appropriate to this month of אדר
And פורים which is connected to ברית like it says ששון זו מילה
B”h, we should continue to hear only good news…

Yasher Koach rabbi levi heber
February 25, 2015 12:52 am

A very big yasher Koach goes to our very own Chabad mohel rabbi levi heber. Who worked tirelessly at the forefront and behind the scenes in manning sure this law was abolished. a big credit is due to him litovas klal Yisroel. Tizke lmitzvos

Curious
February 25, 2015 12:33 am

Why don’t they’d test all mohelim before they perform brisim on a regular basis?

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