Yesterday was day 8 of our son's life. In accordance with Jewish Law, we had arranged for our son to have a Brit Mila. The anticipation of this potentially traumatic, utterly elective, surgery on our son's most sensitive and cherished of body parts (apparently that's the idea) was particularly hard on Karin. I tried to console her but that's difficult to do while feeling similar angst and reticence.
Notwithstanding those obstacles, we found a Mohel, pediatrician Dr. Gilboa, and accepted Dad & Ann's hospitality in offering to host the event. An hour prior to the scheduled moment of truth, Karin applied a topical numbing cream. When the Mohel arrived, he injected a Lidocaine block - just to be sure.
It was a fine event. I gave a short speech welcoming people and describing our baby's name (speech text available by request only) and then the Mohel took over. There was a circumcision. There were blessings. There were Mazal Tovs. And then there was a nice lunch (a solid example of the adagial Jewish basis for celebration: They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat.).
There are photos and video floating around. They should eventually make their way into a post.
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MAZAL TOV!!!!! YOU! YOU! YOU! I want to read the speech, get the pics...everything since we were not there!!! We send you LOTS OF LOVE, kisses, hugs and best ishes!!!!
ReplyDeleteMischa told me how moving your speech was, Jaime, and all about the incredibly thoughtful and beautiful chosen names. I so wish that I could have been there.
ReplyDeleteI also wish that I could have been there to commiserate about the 'ambivalence'... we also chose to include Dov in the covenant, as required, via the foreskin, but with mixed feelings. And I was once at an Orthodox bris where the mom, an Orthodox woman her entire life, was literally HELD BACK by her women friends/family as she tried to charge the curtain behind which 'the men' were about to perform this ritual.
My theory - not about why this must be done (sometimes I think that it must have been just a crappy translation; for ex. brit milah is supposed to mean that we read them a poem, or that we sprinkle them with water... but I digress) but about when: if we were not committed to hold this event just 8 days after the birth, Jewish moms everywhere would have enough strength and where-with-all to grab the kid and RUN.
But in the end, if it really causes trauma, then Dov and Alexander are just as traumatized as every other Jewish man in history.
Please excuse my rambly post. I wish that I were there to explain what I mean in person (although it might not help me explain myself)...
My love to you all.
I'm with you (but over here).
xo Marcia