Shabbat Email

My Bris Wish List
 

As a mohel for the past 25 years, several brisses stand out in my mind as being extra special. Over the years I have performed two of my own sons' brisses, lots of nephews, close friends, even one father and son bris in the books. Last week was the bris for our first grandson, and it was one of my most meaningful bris moments!

Throughout my daughter's pregnancy, only the baby's parents were privy to the baby's gender. We all tried to trip them up into revealing the gender, but for the most part, they played it really cool. One time my daughter asked me a benign bris-related question, and from that point on, all family bets were on that it was going to be a boy, with the excitement leaning towards a bris. So when we got the "It's a boy!" call, after a super long labor and delivery, we were all elated but not shocked.

Our grandson is named after Ruchi's father, who sadly passed away over forty years ago when he was just thirty years old. This baby is the first great-grandson who carries his name. This baby, our grandson, has so much potential, a clean slate with loving parents, grandparents, great-parents and even two great-great grandparents (both Holocaust survivors) still alive, and so many friends and relatives that care and are rooting for him. But ultimately, he will have to make his own decisions, his own free will choices and deal with his own struggles throughout his life.

These thoughts, feelings and emotions were all compacted into the twenty minutes that we celebrated his bris. From 8:20-8:40 last Thursday morning he received a special dosage of holiness as he entered into the sacred covenant of Abraham, linking together past, present and future generations. As the bris was about to start, I felt privileged to share a personal, emotionally charged Torah thought connecting the significance of this ancient ritual to this baby and our family. 

Another highlight for me was being surrounded by my so much loving family. As my parents get older, I appreciate and love them so much more than I did when I was young and dumb. So, having them there, four generations together on the Bimah was definitely a special feeling for me. Additionally, four of my brothers surprised me, driving in through the night from the east coast, pulling up to Cleveland just in time to be at our simcha, then turning around immediately afterwards and driving right back. The room was full with so much love, with many friends from both our JFX and general community. 

The baby is super cute and we are so grateful to have them live nearby. The crazy thing is that it is already Thursday evening, and I guiltily haven't yet seen my grandson this week. I already see that unless I really make it a priority and schedule grandfather-grandson quality time, time just slips by. Ah, that precious and fleeting commodity that we call time. It is both our best friend and biggest enemy. So much to do, personal, spiritual, family, self-care... The yetzer hara (negative inclination) keeps us so busy and overworked. Perhaps this is a perfect Rosh Hashanah pledge for me, to figure out a way to manage my time better. But I digress, back to my grandson.

May Hashem protect, guide and elevate him throughout his life. May he always be surrounded by loving family and friends, and may he be elevated from and bring joy to all those around him. Finally, may he use his potential to the fullest and light up the world with acts of kindness, mitzvahs and good deeds and be a source of nachas to all. Mazel Tov!
 

Shabbat Shalom,