What are the Brit Milah prayers and blessings?

Brit Milah: Prayers and Blessings

The Brit Milah (בְּרִית מִילָה, Brit Milah — Covenant of Circumcision) ceremony contains a structured set of blessings and prayers recited by the mohel (circumciser), the father, and the assembled guests. These blessings sanctify the covenant that God established with Abraham in Genesis 17, and they frame the circumcision as a deeply covenantal and communal act.

Key Takeaways

The mohel recites a blessing before the circumcision; the father recites a blessing immediately after.
The assembled guests respond with a declaration affirming the child's entry into the covenant.
A blessing over wine (Birkat HaYayin) is recited, followed by a long prayer (Mi She'berach) for the child's wellbeing.
The child is formally given his Hebrew name during the ceremony.
The blessings are rooted in Talmudic law [Shabbat 137b] and codified in the Shulchan Aruch.

Detailed Overview

1. Welcoming the Child — Baruch HaBa

As the baby is brought in, the assembled guests proclaim:

"בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא" "Baruch HaBa" — "Blessed is the one who comes."

This greeting, rooted in Psalms 118:26, welcomes the child into the sacred space of the covenant. The Rema (R. Moshe Isserles) notes that it is customary to rise when the baby enters the room, as he is about to enter into the covenant of Abraham [Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 265:1].

2. Placing the Child on the Kisei shel Eliyahu (Chair of Elijah)

The baby is briefly placed on a special chair designated for Elijah the Prophet, who is considered the malach habrit (מַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית — "Angel of the Covenant"). The mohel or sandak recites:

"זֶה הַכִּסֵּא שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא זָכוּר לַטּוֹב" "Zeh hakisei shel Eliyahu HaNavi zachur latov" "This is the chair of Elijah the Prophet, of blessed memory."

The source for Elijah's presence is Midrashic: because Elijah complained that Israel was abandoning the covenant [1 Kings 19:14], God decreed that he must attend every brit and witness Israel's faithfulness [Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, ch. 29].

3. Blessing of the Mohel — Before the Circumcision

Once the baby is on the sandak's lap and the mohel is ready to perform the circumcision, he recites:

"בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל הַמִּילָה" "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al haMilah." "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision."

This blessing is codified in the Talmud [Shabbat 137b] and is the mohel's blessing on performing the mitzvah itself.

4. Blessing of the Father — After the Circumcision

Immediately after the circumcision is performed, the father recites:

"בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַכְנִיסוֹ בִּבְרִיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ" "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hakhniso b'vrito shel Avraham Avinu." "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham our father."

This blessing reflects the father's personal obligation to circumcise his son [Kiddushin 29a]. If the father is not present, there is debate among the poskim (halachic decisors) about who recites this blessing.

5. Response of the Assembled Guests

The congregation responds immediately:

"כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַבְּרִית כֵּן יִכָּנֵס לְתוֹרָה לְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים" "K'shem she'nichnas labrit, ken yikanes l'Torah, l'chuppah, ul'maasim tovim." "Just as he has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into Torah, into marriage, and into good deeds."

This beautiful declaration [Shabbat 137b] expresses the community's hope and blessing for the child's entire life — learning, marriage, and ethical living.

6. Blessing Over Wine — Birkat HaYayin

The mohel or leader recites the blessing over a cup of wine:

"בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן" "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam borei pri hagafen." "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine."

7. The Long Blessing — Al HaMilah

Following the wine blessing, a longer paragraph is recited that begins:

"אֲשֶׁר קִדַּשׁ יְדִיד מִבֶּטֶן..." "Asher kiddash yedid mibbeten..." "Who sanctified the beloved one [Isaac/Israel] from the womb..."

This prayer praises God for sanctifying the Jewish people through the covenant of circumcision, references the sealing of the covenant in the flesh (b'shar b'saro), and invokes the merit of Abraham. It was composed in the Geonic period and is found in virtually all traditional siddurim (prayerbooks).

8. The Mi She'berach — Prayer for the Child and Parents

A Mi She'berach (מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ — "May He who blessed...") is then recited, blessing:

The child — that he grow up healthy and strong
The father and mother
The sandak (the one who holds the baby)