Circumcision: Past and Present, Scriptural and Medical

I. Medical: Definition and Procedures

A. Definition: Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the foreskin

(prepuce) from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin circum
(meaning "around") and cædere (meaning "to cut") which originated from
the Hebrew word bris/brit or karet meaning (covenenant or excision).

B. Procedures: For infant circumcision, clamps are often used. Clamps are
designed to cut the blood supply to the foreskin, stop any bleeding and
protect the glans. Before using a clamp, the foreskin and the glans are
separated with a blunt probe and/or curved hemostat.

C: Faith History: Male circumcision is a faith based commandment in

Yahudim/Judaism as well as in Muslims/Islamic faith, and customary in
some Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and
other Chr-stian churches in Africa.

II. Those Against Circumcision:

A. Summary: The World Health Organization’s (WHO), global estimates

suggest that 30% of males have been circumcised. Opponents of
circumcision condemn infant circumcision as being medically unjustified, an
infringement upon individual bodily rights, and a cause of sexual impairment.
Views differ on whether limits should be placed on caregivers having a child
circumcised.

Some medical associations take the position that the parents should
determine what is in the best interest of the infant or child, but the Royal
Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the British Medical Association
(BMA) observe that controversy exists on this issue. The BMA state that they
believe in general, "the parents should determine how best to promote their
children’s interests, and it is for society to decide what limits should be
imposed on parental choices." They state that because they believe parents'
interests and the child's interests sometimes differ, there are "limits on
parents' rights to choose and parents are not entitled to demand medical
procedures contrary to their child's best interests." They state that they
believe competent children may decide for themselves.

Some argue that the medical problems that have their risk reduced by
circumcision are already rare, can be avoided, and, if they occur, can usually
be treated in less invasive ways than circumcision. Somerville states that the
removal of healthy genital tissue from a minor should not be subject to
parental discretion and that physicians who perform the procedure are not
acting in accordance with their ethical duties to the patient.
Others believe neonatal circumcision is permissible, if parents should so
choose. Benatar and Benatar argue that circumcision can be beneficial to a
male before he would be able to otherwise provide consent, that "it is far
from obvious that circumcision reduces sexual pleasure," and that "it is far
from clear that non-circumcision leaves open a future person’s options in
every regard." In a cultural or religious context, Levenson argues that
circumcision is of significant enough importance that parental consent is
sufficient and that any possible misgivings surrounding the issue of consent
are not significant enough to limit the exercise of infant/childhood
circumcision.

Some critics of circumcision say that there are risks for: infection, bleeding,
future sexual dysfunctions, post traumatic stress disorder, pain, neurological
effects, and changes in sleep patterns. However we were unable to find such
claims in a scientific study.

III. Those For Circumcision:

A. Summary:

Advocates of circumcision regard it as a worthwhile public health measure,

particularly in the control of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. In March 2007 the
WHO and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) stated
that male circumcision is an effective intervention for HIV prevention, but
also stated that male circumcision only provides partial protection and should
not replace other interventions to prevent the heterosexual transmission of
HIV. Circumcision may also be used to treat inflammation of the glans.

B. Some Studies:

-November 2006 – a 25 yr study by Dr. David M. Fergusson from

Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences report that “Circumcised
males are less likely than their uncircumcised peers to acquire a sexually
transmitted infection”.

-December 2007 - In Time Magazine's issue of 2007 Top 10 lists, Johns

Hopkins University's discovery that circumcision can prevent HIV is
hailed as the number one medical breakthrough of 2007. The
acknowledgement refers to the February 2007 results of a study by
Bloomberg School of Public Health faculty members Ronald
Gray, MBBS, MSc, and Maria Wawer, MD, MHSc, School of Medicine faculty
members Thomas C. Quinn, MD, MSc, Oliver Laeyendecker, MS, MBA, and
Steve Reynolds, MDCM, MPH, and Makerere University (Uganda)
faculty members David Serwadda and Nelson Sewankambo. Time paraphases
the study results that were published in the Lancet: "In the two randomized
trials, which included 7,780 HIV-negative men in Rakai, Uganda, and Kisumu,
and Kenya, researchers found that medically-circumcised men were at least
51 percent less likely than uncircumcised men to acquire HIV during sex with
women."

-1998 - American Council on Science and Health, Contents: Volume 9

Number 4 (1998) From this volume we read: "Circumcision is like a
substantial and well-secured annuity; every year of life you draw the
benefits. Parents cannot make a better paying investment for their little
boys." An 1891 book on the medical aspects of neonatal (newborn)
circumcision included this statement by Dr. P. C. Remondino, a prominent
California physician of the era. Now, over a century later, a burgeoning body
of peer-reviewed reports in the scientific literature confirms that circumcision
is an important preventive health measure. That circumcision is protective
against penile cancer and local infection (balanoposthitis) has long been
known. Remondino was also aware that uncircumcised men have a higher
likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly
syphilis and chancroid, than have circumcised men. During World War II
many U.S. recruits were circumcised to protect them against balanoposthitis.
Such infection was a significant cause of active-duty loss among troops,
particularly in the North African campaign (because of the combination of
sand and poor hygiene). Military medics also felt that circumcision helped
prevent STDs. In the past decade published studies have shown that the
presence of a foreskin increases the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs),
which are most dangerous during infancy, and the risk of HIV infection.

IV. Scriptural and History

A. Definition:

Brit milah (Hebrew: ‫[ בּרִית מִילָה‬bə'rīt mī'lā] literally: "covenant of

circumcision"), also berit milah (Sephardi), bris milah (Ashkenazi
pronunciation) or bris (Yiddish) is a religious ceremony within
Yahudism/aka Judaism to welcome infant Male Yahudim (boy Jews) into a
covenant between Yah and the Children of Yisra’yah through ritual
circumcision performed by a mohel ("circumciser"), on the eighth day of
the child's life unless health reasons force a delay, in the presence of family
and friends, followed by a celebratory meal (seudat mitzvah). The male
child is often ‘formally named’ during this ceremony as well.

According to the Hebrew Scriptures, in the Book of Bereshith(Gen) 17:1-14

(11), circumcision was enjoined when Yah said "Walk before Me and be
perfect" to the Scriptural patriarch Abraham to be followed by his
descendants as "a token of the everlasting covenant" concluded with him by
Yah for all generations. It is also when his name is changed from "Abram" to
"Abraham" by Yah.

Everlasting Covenant: an agreement between Yah and his people in which

Yah makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in
return and is never ending. All the generations after Abraham were to do
this. A binding agreement.

The penalty of non-observance of circumcision was called karet, "excision"

from the people or being cut off from the community by Yah, as noted in
Bere/Genesis 17:14. Conversion to Yahudim/Judaism for non-Yisrayahites in
Scriptures times necessitated circumcision otherwise one could not partake in
the Passover offering (Shemoth/Exodus 12:48). Today, as in the time of
Abraham, it is required of converts in followers of the Torah and the
Scriptures. (Bere/Genesis 34:14-16). See also. Deut/Way. 10:16

Strong’s 5234: Namal: to become clipped or circumcised; a branch to be cut off

Strong’s 4135: Muwl (mool): a prime root, to cute short; cutal; prepuce to
circumcise by whole or blunt; to destroy; cut down in pieces; must needs.
Strong’s 4059: from: 574 flight to be gone; to flap up and down; to rove, flee, or to
cause drive away; chase away; could not depart/flee; remove; thrust away; wander
abroad.

This was a process of becoming clean and symbolized a removal of the unclean.

Brit milah is considered to be so important that should the eighth day fall on
the Shabbat; actions that would normally be forbidden because of the set
apartness of the day are permitted in order to fulfill the requirement to
circumcise.

V. What the 8th Day?

A. In Scriptures:

We can see that in Scriptures the number 7 is a number of completion; used

in the faith and scriptures several times; i.e. 7 days of creation, 7 set apart
feast days.

B. Why the 8th day?

In 1935, professor H. Dam proposed the name “vitamin K” for the factor in
foods that helped prevent hemorrhaging in baby chicks. We now know
vitamin K is responsible for the production (by the liver) of the element
known as pro-throm-bin. If vitamin K is deficient, there will be a prothrombin
deficiency and hemorrhaging may occur. Oddly, it is only on the fifth through
the seventh days of the newborn male’s life that vitamin K (produced by
bacteria in the intestinal tract) is present in adequate quantities. Vitamin K,
coupled with prothrombin, causes blood coagulation, which is important in
any surgical procedure. Holt and McIntosh, in their classic work, Holt
Pediatrics, observed that a newborn infant has “peculiar susceptibility to
bleeding between the second and fifth days of life.... Hemorrhages at this
time, though often inconsequential, are sometimes extensive; they may
produce serious damage to internal organs, especially to the brain, and cause
death from shock and exsanguinations”. Obviously, then, if vitamin K is not
produced in sufficient quantities until days five through seven, it would be
wise to postpone any surgery until some time after that. Also known as
waiting 7 days to be safe. On the eighth day, the amount of prothrombin
present actually is elevated above one-hundred percent of normal—and is the
only day in the male’s life in which this will be the case under normal
conditions. If surgery is to be performed, day eight is the perfect day to do it.
Vitamin K and prothrombin levels are at their peak. Please reference the
chart on your handouts for a visual representation of this peak.

Moshes’ (Moses’s) information, as recorded in Berethith/Genesis 17:12, not

only was scientifically accurate, but was years ahead of its time. How did
Moshe (Moses) have access to such information? Hmmm.

Please reference the “Great Resources for mom and dad” on your handout:

Public Library (health, reference, religion)

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries at home
Strong’s Concordance
The Scriptures, the Torah, or the KJ Version

Check out Amazon, the Library, or YouTube for videos on Circumcision

www.google.com (Google it!!!)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision
www.circumcision.org
www.cirp.org
www.mothersagainstcirc.org
www.circumcision.net
www.circinfo.com
www.nocirc.org
www.mayoclinic.com/health/circumcision/PR00040
www.jewfaq.org/birth.htm
judaism.about.com/library/3_lifecycles/bris/blbrit.htm
www.torahview.com/bris/html/the_bris.html

- Bereshith (Gen) 17:1-14 (11)

- Shemoth (Ex) 12:48
- Bereshit (Gen) 34:14-16
- Debarim (Deut) 10:16 and 30:6
- Wayyiqra (Lev) 12
- Yahshua (Joshua) 5:2-5
- YirmeYahu (Jer) 9:24-26

Strong’s 5234: Namal: to become clipped or circumcised; a branch to be cut off; karet,
"excision"
Strong’s 4135: Muwl (mool): a prime root, to cute short; cutal; prepuce to circumcise by
whole or blunt; to destroy; cut down in pieces; must needs.
Strong’s 4059: from: 574 flight to be gone; to flap up and down; to rove, flee, or to cause
drive away; chase away; could not depart/flee; remove; thrust away; wander abroad.