Hatafat dam brit

General information only. Every case is decided by a rabbi.

What it is

Where a circumcision has already been done but not as a brit, most often in a hospital, sometimes abroad, sometimes years ago, a single drop of blood is drawn with the blessings to bring it under the covenant. This is hatafat dam brit (also written hatafas dam bris), meaning “drawing a drop of the blood of the covenant.”

It’s a quick pinprick with a fine needle, done by a mohel. There’s no surgery, no stitches, and no recovery time. It takes a few minutes, and you can go about your day right afterwards.

When it’s needed

• A man circumcised in a hospital, without a brit
• A man circumcised as a baby for medical reasons
• A boy circumcised in a hospital, without a brit

Not sure which applies to you? You don’t need to work it out first. Tell us what happened and when, and we’ll tell you. You can also read not sure your brit was kosher?

How it’s arranged

We speak first, privately. Because it isn’t tied to a particular day, we choose a time that suits you, and it’s done with the same care and discretion as any brit. If you have your own rabbi, we’re glad to coordinate with him.

Short answers

Who needs it?

Most often, a man or boy circumcised in a hospital without a brit, or circumcised as a baby for medical reasons.

Is it painful?

It’s a quick pinprick, and for most people a far smaller matter than they feared. We’ll tell you exactly what it involves before anything is arranged.

How soon can it be done?

Unlike a brit on the eighth day, it isn’t bound to a date, so we can schedule it around you.