Crafting a Calm & Meaningful Bris Ceremony
Hi I'm Zvi Spiegel,
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your son’s bris. I look forward to helping you craft a calm and meaningful bris (brit) ceremony for your son. I am proud to service the Baltimore community, Greater Washington and beyond. I have done Brisses and circumcisions in multiple states along the east coast. I am willing to travel to you in order to ensure that your son receives a proper Bris.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns that you may have and to schedule your pre-bris checkup.
A Legacy of Trust & Excellence
Providing peace of mind through rigorous certification, medical awareness, and a heart-centered approach to Jewish tradition.
A Personal Journey in
Sacred Tradition
I have trained extensively in the art and laws of Bris Milah under Rabbi Shimon Schreiber, and I am certified by the world renown Halachic authority, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann shlit”a.
Additionally, I have had the opportunity to hone my craft by working with and observing other veteran Mohels. Performing a bris on my own son has been the highlight of my career.
I live in Baltimore, MD with my wife and kids where I study and teach Torah and Judaism in multiple venues.
Letter of Certification
Authorized and endorsed by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann Shlit"a.
Timeless Tradition Meets
Clinical Precision
Generational Heritage
Our approach is rooted in centuries of Jewish tradition, passed down through rigorous apprenticeship and halachic study.
Modern Excellence
We integrate contemporary medical awareness and sterile techniques to ensure the safety and comfort of every child.
"Every bris is a sacred link in the eternal chain of our people. I am honored to help you forge that link with care and professionalism."
Comprehensive Care for Your Family
Rabbi Zvi Spiegel offers a range of services tailored to meet the spiritual and clinical needs of your family.
Why Families
Trust Rabbi Zvi
We combine centuries-old tradition with modern medical standards to provide the safest, quickest, and most meaningful experience possible.
Gentle Technique
A calm, reassuring environment with sucrose and lidocaine to minimize any discomfort.
Fast Procedure
The procedure is typically completed in under a minute, with the baby calming immediately after swaddling.
Follow-up Care
Dedicated support for days following the bris, ensuring perfect healing and parental peace of mind.
Inclusive Ceremonies
Welcoming all families and creating meaningful, elevating experiences that honor your traditions.
Travel Availability
Serving MD, DC, VA, and PA. I am happy to travel to you for your son's bris.
Medical Awareness
Rigorous training and medical caution, working closely with pediatricians and urologists.
Halachic Expertise
In-depth knowledge of Jewish law (Bris Milah) ensuring the ceremony is both valid and beautiful.
The Journey to a Meaningful Bris
A seamless and supportive process designed to give your son the best possible start.
Consultation
Initial conversation to discuss the process, timing, and any specific family needs or medical concerns.
Pre-Bris Guidance
Detailed instructions on what to bring and how to prepare the baby for a calm experience.
Ceremony Preparation
Setting the stage for a meaningful event, including honors for family members and ritual items.
Bris Ceremony
The ritual procedure performed with clinical precision and spiritual depth, followed by the naming.
Aftercare Support
Continuous follow-up and availability for 24-72 hours post-bris to ensure perfect healing.
Endorsements & Testimonials
Read direct feedback from families, rabbinic mentors, and medical professionals regarding Rabbi Zvi Spiegel's expert care, preparedness, and service.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Find answers to the most common questions families have when preparing for their son's Bris Milah. If you have any other concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Detailed Instructions for Families
Rabbi Zvi Spiegel provides professional, step-by-step guidance before and after the procedure to ensure a calm, safe, and speedy recovery.
בס"ד
Bris Instructions
Mazel tov! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your celebration. Please print these pages and bring them to the bris. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at any time.
Parents to bring:
- Bris pillow & outfit
- Receiving blanket
- Kiddush cup
- Sweet red kosher wine [e.g. Kedem, Rashi]
- Diapers x5 (disposable)
- Wipes
- Pacifier
Mohel to supply:
• Gauze pads & Ointment
Before the Bris:
- Baby should be finished feeding 1 hour before the bris.
- Baby should arrive 20 minutes before the scheduled time.
- Baby should NOT have creams, ointments, or oils applied prior to the bris.
Aftercare
- Bandage & Initial Protection: After the bris, the baby will have: a bandage around the incision to protect the site, and a gauze pad with ointment on top to protect from chafing against the diaper. If the bandage falls off without bleeding, that is ok.
- Gauze & Ointment Changes: With clean hands, change the gauze pad with ointment (Vaseline, bacitracin, A&D, etc.) with each dirty diaper, or at least three times a day for three days (prepare a few in advance of Shabbos).
- Aftercare Application: After the gauze supply is finished, continue applying ointment (Vaseline or A&D) liberally.
- Positioning: Bris should be pointed down toward the legs. Apply two diapers, a size larger than regular, for the next three days to protect the area.
- Healing Progress: The bris area may change colors, swell, and or develop yellow granulation during normal healing. Baby may be fussy after bris. Contact myself or your pediatrician if your baby is not eating or urinating.
- Excessive Bleeding Protocol: In the unlikely event of excessive bleeding (light bleeding is ok), apply pressure with a gauze pad immediately, then contact myself, emergency services, and your pediatrician [even on Shabbos].
- Bath Protocols: The baby should not have a bath until the bris bandage is removed (not the gauze pad with ointment). A sponge bath that avoids the bris is ok. Consult your pediatrician if the umbilical cord has not yet fallen off.
- Long-term Hygiene: After the site heals completely, be sure to clean between the folds under the glans while bathing for about a year.
Honors & Participation
Our sages tell us that a boy’s Bris Milah is the foundation of his spiritual life. This is an auspicious moment to pray that a holy soul enters your son at his bris, that he may live a long and healthy life filled with Jewish values with a lifelong commitment to preserving our sacred covenant. I strive to conduct the ceremony in a calm, inclusive and elevating way. The bris ceremony is also an opportunity for the parents to honor family members, friends and or dignitaries, to help bring their child into the covenant.
Honors for the Bris Ceremony (כיבודים לברית מילה)
Prepare and coordinate ceremonial honors for your family and guests
Kvatter 1. (קוואטער-שאפט)
A married couple (or mother and son). The wife takes the baby from the mother and gives him to her husband, who brings the baby to the ceremony. After the ceremony, the husband brings the baby back to his wife, who returns him to the mother. This honor is considered a segulah (omen) for the kvatter couple to merit children of their own, so it is often given to newlyweds.
Cheika(s) 2. (חייק"א)
Optional. Family members or friends who take the baby from the Kvatter and carry him closer to the front of the room. Can honor multiple men.
Kissei shel Eliahu 3. (כסא של אליהו)
Takes the baby from the Kvatter and places him on Kissei shel Eliahu, the throne set aside for Elijah the Prophet.
MeiHaKissei 4. (מהכסא)
Removes the baby from Kissei shel Eliahu and hands him to the father.
Sandek 5. (סנדק)
Considered the highest honor, usually given to a grandfather, mentor, or great rabbi. Sits in the chair next to Kissei shel Eliahu, receives the baby from the father, and holds him securely through the bris procedure. Customarily, one serves as sandek for only one son in a given family (with the exception of a great Rabbi).
MeiHaSandek 6. (מהסנדק)
After the bris, lifts the baby from the Sandek's lap and hands him to the father or standing holders.
Brachos 7. (ברכות)
Recites the Hebrew blessings over a goblet of wine. May also recite the naming formula.
Amida l’Brachos 8. (עמידה לברכות / סנדק מעומד)
Holds the baby standing up during the recitation of the blessings.
shem Krias 9. (קריאת שם)
Recites the Hebrew naming formula to bestow the child's Hebrew name.
Amida l’Krias shem 10. (שם לקריאת עמידה)
Holds the baby standing up during the bestowing of the Hebrew name.
Naming (Boys & Girls)
Our sages teach us that the baby’s soul only enters after the bris; accordingly, it is the appropriate time to bestow his Hebrew name. Parenthetically, a girl’s naming ceremony takes place after her father is called up to the Torah soon after her birth. Parents may have a celebratory reception following the naming of their daughter. I am happy to help you craft a meaningful (non-invasive) naming ceremony for your baby girl as well. I am happy to offer any guidance as you name your child.
בס"ד
כיבודים לברית מילה
Honors for the Bris Ceremony
Parents have the opportunity to include family, friends, rabbis and dignitaries in this great mitzvah with the following honors. Please print this page, fill it out, and bring it to the Bris. Please indicate the proper titles for honorees (rabbi, uncle, grandpa, sabba etc.) as they are to be called up. Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you would like my assistance in crafting a meaningful ceremony.
| # | Honor (Hebrew / English) | Honoree Name | Title (Rabbi, Uncle, Grandpa etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kvatter 1. (קוואטער-שאפט) | ||
| 2 | Cheika(s) 2. (חייק"א) | ||
| 3 | Kissei shel Eliahu 3. (כסא של אליהו) | ||
| 4 | MeiHaKissei 4. (מהכסא) | ||
| 5 | Sandek 5. (סנדק) | ||
| 6 | MeiHaSandek 6. (מהסנדק) | ||
| 7 | Brachos 7. (ברכות) | ||
| 8 | Amida l’Brachos 8. (עמידה לברכות / סנדק מעומד) | ||
| 9 | shem Krias 9. (קריאת שם) | ||
| 10 | Amida l’Krias shem 10. (שם לקריאת עמידה) |
Explanations & Guidelines:
- Kvatter: A married couple (or mother and son). The wife takes the baby from the mother and gives him to her husband, who brings the baby to the ceremony. After the ceremony, the husband brings the baby back to his wife, who returns him to the mother. This honor is considered a segulah (omen) for the kvatter couple to merit children of their own, so it is often given to newlyweds.
- Cheika(s): Optional. Family members or friends who take the baby from the Kvatter and carry him closer to the front of the room. Can honor multiple men.
- Kissei: Takes the baby from the Kvatter and places him on Kissei shel Eliahu, the throne set aside for Elijah the Prophet.
- MeiHaKissei: Removes the baby from Kissei shel Eliahu and hands him to the father.
- Sandek: Considered the highest honor, usually given to a grandfather, mentor, or great rabbi. Sits in the chair next to Kissei shel Eliahu, receives the baby from the father, and holds him securely through the bris procedure. Customarily, one serves as sandek for only one son in a given family (with the exception of a great Rabbi).
- MeiHaSandek: After the bris, lifts the baby from the Sandek's lap and hands him to the father or standing holders.
- Brachos: Recites the Hebrew blessings over a goblet of wine. May also recite the naming formula.
- Amida: Holds the baby standing up during the recitation of the blessings.
- shem: Recites the Hebrew naming formula to bestow the child's Hebrew name.
- Amida: Holds the baby standing up during the bestowing of the Hebrew name.
Capturing the Sanctity of the Moment
A glimpse into the professional and compassionate environment Rabbi Zvi Spiegel creates for every family.
Let's Prepare for Your Son's Special Day
Hi, I’m Zvi Spiegel. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your son’s bris or circumcision. Please reach out with your contact details and message below, and I will get back to you shortly to begin coordinating.
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