Circumcision: where does it come from and where is it heading?
In recent years, debate over the real need for circumcision has grown, particularly among secular people. While many argue that it is degrading and inhumane, studies show that circumcision also has medical importance and reduces the likelihood of diseases associated with the male reproductive system. Looking back a little takes us to circumcision's origins and reminds us why the subject is so important, and so contentious, particularly among religious and traditional communities.
Circumcision began, as we recall, in the time of the patriarch Abraham. The story of the binding of Isaac is considered a covenant between the people of Israel and God. According to the Torah, Abraham chose to circumcise his son Isaac to demonstrate his commitment to God. Some commentators also argue that Abraham chose to circumcise his son rather than himself because infants do not yet have a meaningful voice and cannot communicate; after circumcision, they are granted the right to become human beings capable of expression while continuing to believe in this strong covenant made between them and their God at such a young age.
Since Abraham's time, circumcision has become a custom that not only symbolises our Jewish identity but almost obliges us. Even secular Jews who do not believe or observe the commandments find themselves circumcising their children. According to statistical data, more than 97 percent of the Jewish population circumcises infants, even in entirely secular families. The reason is the wish for the child to be like everyone else, not feel different and not encounter troubling reactions later in life.
Today, circumcision is a subject that occupies many people. The thought of this unpleasant act leads some to seek solutions that are not overtly religious, stepping back somewhat from the religious ceremony towards a medical setting where circumcision is performed by a doctor who is also a mohel (a practitioner of Jewish ritual circumcision). The doctor anaesthetises the area, guides parents on handling medical problems related to circumcision and generally performs the procedure in a surgical, medical atmosphere that is less religious. It is important to know that an unusual medical situation following a religious circumcision also does not escape the attention of Israeli authorities. By law, hospitals must report cases in which circumcision subsequently brought parents and their baby to the emergency department because of various problems.
In addition, both a doctor-mohel and an ordinary religious mohel are required by law to meet all certification procedures in Israel. These range from two years of training in circumcision to practical experience with an examining mohel who assesses how they perform the procedure. Practical and theoretical examinations are also conducted, and many mohels undergo medical examinations to establish their fitness to carry out this undertaking.
The fact that circumcision today is not only a religious matter but also a cultural, medical and aesthetic one makes medical circumcision increasingly common, not only among Jews but among people of other religions who want their children circumcised to prevent various diseases and infections found in uncircumcised people. Many studies examine the importance of circumcision in preventing infectious diseases, including AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Although this issue has never been proven and these studies have not reached conclusive evidence, there is no doubt today that circumcision is more than a religious act.
Parents who fear circumcision or do not connect with its Jewish religious meaning increasingly seek help from a doctor-mohel who performs it as part of hospital work. This process is free of risks, painless for the baby and, above all, provides peace of mind for worried parents.
