I’ve probably had more strangers inquire as to the status of my genitals than the average American. It’s a door that gets opened if you are a male and you move from Catholicism to Judaism: always on the top three list of questions people ask is, “So are you circumcised?” At first it was a little jarring. Aren’t people sex organs one of the few remaining taboos for interpersonal conversation? Still…I understand where it comes from, after all genital surgery is not something to be taken lightly.
Well, the fact is, I’m not. Not yet. For over a year now it has been the only thing standing between me and getting my final paperwork. I’d been holding off though. Big mitzvah or not, I wasn’t exactly anxious to have someone take a knife to me…there. Furthermore, I was able to really on various halajic positions that allowed me to fully participate in adult male Orthodox Jewish life, skin regardless.
But on Aug 18, I am going under the knife at 7:30 am. Why? Well, the immediate and pragmatic reason is that my rabbi back east will not write my proof of Judaism letter for me until I do, and I plan on making Aliyah. Ultimately though, that wouldn’t be enough to convince me. I’ve reached a point where I believe that despite exceptions, or leniencies that I might rely on as an individual, there is a limit to how much one can belong to a community while bucking the traditions and norms. How much a community can and should expect is a discussion for another time and another place; here and now though, I realize that for me this is a sacrifice that has come due.
My friends who converted and went fully under the knife said it was worth it. If they were making the commitment, they were going to do it fully. And the doctors take care of you with some strong drugs.
Mazel tov!
how brave are you! won’t a pinprick suffice?
hatzlacha and suerte. focus on the end result and it will all be worth it.
a pin prick is only sufficient if one has had a non-ritual circumcision.
thank you for the good wishes.
i think focusing on the end is exactly what the procedure will concern… At least you hope it does.
Good luck. It might have been easier if you had already been circumcised and merely needed a drop of blood taken, but look at it this way: nobody is going to say that you had a little prick.
A friend of mine had his brit milah after immigrating here from the Soviet Union in the late 70s. So whenever he tried to poke fun by offering me his ham sandwich for lunch, I’d tell him that nobody get’s cut without having some comittment to Judaism.
BTW, he also claimed to have tested things out with his girlfriend immediately after surgery. I’m skeptical.
Jose-
At Shabbes Mincha you were the Hagba and explained that there’s a loophole for you to be able to do that. Could you illuminate us on what that was, cuz I think it would be interesting…
I’d be happy to. It will likely be my next post.
I had a friend who just had this done about a year ago. It went well. He just had to walk sort of bow legged for a few days.
I wonder why it’s not acceptable for you to have an operation under anaesthetic while still not as yet converted, so that only “hatofas dam bris” would be required.
Sweet Mercy, ADE. For adults Mil ais often done even under general anaesthesia. I have elected for alocla block because I don’t like using more drugs than is necesarry. Anaesthesia does not effect the question of tipat dam or mila, per my understanding.
I didn’t make myself clear. If men wishing to convert are already circumsized, as I understand it, only a drop of blood needs to be extracted. I was suggesting that, as a matter of course, men wishing to convert should be recomended to undergo medical circumcision under anaesthetic, so that only the minor procedure needed to be done for conversion.
Not good advice - medical circumcision is very different from Jewish circumcision, it is more invasive and removes more of the erotically responsive skin.
jose - hope you are using an orthodox mohel who will do the traditional technique.