Death Spotlights Old Circumcision Rite

By Kelly Hartog

The death of one infant boy from herpes and the infection of two others has focused attention on an ancient practice that is still used in some ultra-Orthodox communities as they circumcise babies.

As New York City health officials continue to investigate whether Rabbi Yitzchok Fischer had infected the three boys, here in Los Angeles, while people have expressed shock at the story, they are even more surprised that the custom is still in practice at all.

Metzizah b'peh -- loosely translated as oral suction -- is the part of the circumcision ceremony where the mohel removes the blood from the baby's member; these days the removal of the blood is usually done using a sterilized glass tube, instead of with the mouth, as the Talmud suggests.

While it's not known whether Fischer carries the herpes virus, the city ordered him to stop performing metzizah b'peh by mouth and to use a sterile tube and wear surgical gloves when performing a circumcision.

But is anyone else practicing it?

Los Angeles rabbis and mohels say that the practice is not prevalent, confined primarily to Chasidic groups.

"Even within the Chasidic community the procedure is restricted to only parts of that community," said Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, director of Project Next Step at the Simon Wiesenthal Center. "And in the non-Chasidic community, some of the most [Orthodox] conservative thinkers have gone on record as being opposed to the procedure."

The demographic is so small, that there are no statistics available on exact numbers that still perform metzizah b'peh or even which Chasidic groups still practice it.

And it's not a custom that's about to gain popularity.

"I certainly don't see it as becoming more prominent," said Rabbi Daniel Korobkin of Kehillat Yavneh, who has been a licensed mohel for 15 years. Korobkin stressed that at this stage of the investigation, fears should be tempered.

While all those interviewed acknowledged the death of the baby as a terrible tragedy, none believed there should be any reason for people to panic.

"Most Jews aren't Orthodox here," said Samuel Kunin, a board-certified urologist who has been a mohel for 15 years catering to the non-Orthodox Los Angeles community. "I don't think, in general, it's going to affect many people. So far, nobody's even questioned me about the issue."

One of the most popular mohels in the community said he only had one person question him recently because of the case. "I've been doing this for over 25 years," Rabbi Yehuda Lebovics said. He said that people trust him. "They know I've never had an infection of any kind, and that I clean my instruments, wear gloves and wash my hands."

Korobkin added that while people are definitely aware of the current incident, he has not received any anxious phone calls from parents who have brit milah ceremonies approaching. That may have something to do with the fact that Korobkin has only performed metzizah b'peh on his own sons. "Because their immune systems are closer to mine, and both my wife and I knew we had no communicable diseases," he explained. "But I would not take the risk for myself personally, because I wouldn't want to contract or transmit a disease from or to a child."

Korobkin also refuses to perform metzizah b'peh without the tube -- even if parents ask.

"No matter how long a guy's beard is or how pious a person is, you can still contract herpes or even HIV through a blood transfusion," he said.

While he acknowledged the Talmud's reasoning of metzizah b'peh at the time it was written was to prevent any unhealthy coagulation of the blood, today, he argued, using a device that ensures the mohel's mouth doesn't come into direct contact with the child is just as effective and acceptable.

"We know the practice is not based on anything in Jewish law, it's something that is meta-halachic," Korobkin said. "So the question is, can you really justify endangering a child's health for something that only provides a nonhalachic benefit? And the logical conclusion is no. It doesn't make any sense."

Lebovics, who also only practices metzizah b'peh with a tube, agreed. "Since the spread of AIDS and herpes has also become more prevalent, it's not good for either me or my patients. I stopped doing [metzizah b'peh] many many years ago."

Korobkin also cited an article in the August 2004 edition of the journal Pediatrics, in which scientific medical studies proved that eight babies in Israel contracted the herpes simplex virus following ritual circumcision using metzizah b'peh.

"And the most important overriding principle for any mohel, the first directive we receive in our training, is that the child's safety is paramount," he said. "It comes before anything. If there's even a question that there might be a problem, we always delay the brit."

So why would anyone take the risk, however small, of performing metzizah b'peh?

"The Talmud also speaks of a mystical concept that is supposedly beneficial for the child when metzizah b'peh is performed," Korobkin said.

That is apparently something that those who continue to practice metzizah b'peh are not willing to relinquish.

Both Korobkin and Adlerstein confessed to not knowing what the exact benefits were. However, according to Adlerstein, "some people see these nonhalachic sources as an integral part of the brit milah."

That story is pretty old, and yes it shows just how these degenerate jews really are.

What about those Muslim women who perform ORAL SEX on their baby sons when they are crying to settle them down?

A great illustration of the idiocy of following outdated religious beliefs.

You think saying, "Hey look, they believe crazy stuff too, so why pick on us?", is going to work?

Sure there are crazy beliefs in all religions, there has to be, otherwise they wouldn't be a religion, personally I find some less threatening than others, and slightly less hypocritical, because some are less extreme.

We can take it as pretty much a given, that the more devout a follower is, the crazier are their beliefs, and the more right they believe they have to impose those beliefs onto the whole of society.
I only know of one that wants to conquer the world and put it under religious law, how about you?

All in all, it is still irrational mumbo jumbo, that sentient beings should be able to assign to the primitive behaviour of a superstitious past, which has no place in a modern society, irrespective of which team you cheer for.

BTW, You still have not addressed your deceitful response in the other thread here Abu, no more false ideas you wish to convey?

DILLIGAF wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2008 at 10:24pm:


got a case of hatered to go with your cowardice phil...?

imperial wrote on Aug 24^th, 2008 at 11:00am:


Cowardice? How do you come to that conclusion with me?
You dont know who i am or what i have done.
Yes i do hate the Jews because of how they swindle, lie, terrorise and degrade our hard earned and sophisticated culture.

mantra wrote on Aug 24^th, 2008 at 4:24pm:


I agree. many are botched and leave permanent disfiguration and sexual performance problems.
Im glad i never was circumcised.

mantra wrote on Aug 24^th, 2008 at 4:24pm:

Infant circumcision should be carried out only if medically required, if something is wrong with the penis. When a man turns 18 he can choose what he wants done then. It isn't for us to decide, not for religion, or for any other reason, aside from the preference of the owner of the penis. Victoria will not carry our circumcisions for non-medical reasons in public hospitals anymore, if parents want their sons done they have to pay in a private hospital. Public money is better spent elsewhere.