The Bris You Think You Know
The brit milah is one of Judaism’s oldest rituals but beneath the bagels and blessings lie stories, symbols, and traditions most guests have never heard.
You’ve been to the bris. You’ve held the honey cake, sipped the wine, and nervously averted your eyes at the exact right moment. But how much do you really know about what’s happening and why?
The brit milah, literally “covenant of circumcision,” is one of the most ancient Jewish rituals still practiced today, dating back to God’s commandment to Abraham in Genesis. It is performed on the eighth day of a boy’s life, and it carries with it thousands of years of law, legend, and layered meaning. Most guests leave with a full plate and no idea what any of it was about. We’re here to change that.
From a prophet who attends every single one, to a role older than the word “godfather,” here are four things about the brit milah that deserve a second look.
Four Things Worth Knowing
ELIJAH’S CHAIR
A Prophet Has a Reserved Seat at Every Bris
That ornate chair sitting conspicuously empty near the mohel? It’s not a staging mishap — it belongs to Elijah the Prophet. According to Jewish legend, Elijah once complained to God that the Israelites had abandoned the covenant. God’s response was firm: since Elijah spoke against the people, he would be required to witness every future circumcision himself, as living testimony that the Jewish covenant endures. The baby is briefly placed on Elijah’s chair before the ceremony begins, a symbolic moment where the prophet “vouches” for the child. Many synagogues keep an elaborately carved ceremonial chair for this purpose alone and some are centuries old. Attending a bris, it is said, is like a miniature Yom Kippur: in Elijah’s honor, the sins of all those present are forgiven.
THE SANDEK
The Most Honored Role You’ve Never Heard Of
Everyone knows the mohel does the cutting. But the highest honor at a brit milah isn’t given to the mohel at all — it goes to the sandek, the person chosen to hold the baby during the circumcision. The word itself comes from the Greek syndekos, meaning “companion of the child,” and the role carries enormous spiritual weight. In Kabbalistic tradition, the sandek’s soul becomes mystically linked with the child’s. The Talmud compares the sandek’s lap to the altar of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and the act of holding the baby to offering incense, considered one of the most sacred Temple duties. Serving as sandek is believed to be an omen for long life and prosperity, which is why the honor is typically reserved for a grandfather or a deeply respected rabbi. Some families have even been known to “purchase” the honor at charity auctions.
VACH NACHT
The All-Night Vigil Nobody Talks About
Most guests arrive for the ceremony and the spread. But in traditional communities, the night before the brit is its own sacred event. Called Vach Nacht, Yid dish for “watch night,” it is customary for the father to stay up the entire night studying Torah, reading Zohar passages that explore the mystical significance of circumcision. Children from the neighborhood are invited to visit the baby in the evening, reciting verses of Torah in his presence, an ancient protective custom meant to spiritually guard the newborn through his last night before the covenant. In Sephardic communities, the parallel tradition is called Brit Yitzchak, “the Covenant of Isaac,” and often includes a celebratory meal of its own. By morning, the father has learned, prayed, and watched, and the community has already begun to gather around the child.
THE KVATTER
Being Asked to Carry the Baby Is No Small Thing
The kvatter (godfather) and kvatterin (godmother) carry the baby from his mother into the ceremony room, a role that sounds simple but is packed with meaning. In Ashkenazi tradition, this honor is almost always given to a married couple who have not yet had children. The act of carrying the baby is considered a segulah, a spiritually auspicious omen, for fertility. It is believed that performing this mitzvah can open the gates to parenthood. The Kvatter wears a tallit for the occasion; the Kvat terin dresses in her finest Shabbat clothes. Notably, pregnant women are traditionally excluded from this role, out of care for their wellbeing. The moment the kvatter carries the child into the room, everyone present rises and remains standing for the duration of the ceremony, a tribute to the covenant being fulfilled.