Part II | The Brit ceremony

The people chosen as "Godfather" and "Godmother" are usually a husband and wife. The child’s mother hands the baby to the Godmother, thus signifying her consent to entrust the child to G-d’s care. The Godfather then takes the child and hands him to a designated individual whose honor it is to place the infant on the Chair of Elijah.

When the child is brought in to the area in which the brit will take place, all present should rise and remain standing throughout the duration of the brit. Only the sandek will remain sitting throughout the brit, while holding the infant on his lap.

After having placed the child on the sandek’s lap, the father then designates the mohel as his emissary to perform the circumcision on his son. (The reason for this is that according to the Torah, the father himself is responsible to perform the circumcision on his son. However, since most fathers are illiterate in these areas, they are permitted to appoint an emissary to take his place. A concept in Jewish law pertaining to many areas, is that "a man’s emissary is considered to be the sender of that emissary himself.) After the father recites the appropriate blessings, everyone present says: "Just as he (the child) has entered into this covenant, so may he enter the covenant of Torah learning, marriage, and of good deeds."

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