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In Jewish tradition, boys are circumcised on their 8th day of life. The tradition is based on the [[Abrahamic covenant]] found in Genesis 17.<ref name="bigelow1995">{{REFbook |last=Bigelow |first= |init=J |author-link=Jim Bigelow |year=1995 |title=The Joy of Uncircumcising |url= |work=The Development of Circumcision in Judaism |editor= |edition=Second Edition |volume= |chapter=Chapter Six |scope= |page= |pages=54-60 |location=Aptos, CA |publisher=Hourglass |ISBN=0-934061-22-X |quote= |accessdate=2023-08-29 |note=}}</ref> The circumcision is conducted by a traditional circumciser called a ''[[mohel]]'' in a ritual known as a ''bris.'' There are three stages in how a traditional Jewish circumcision is now performed; these are ''milah'', ''peri'ah'', and ''metsitsah b'peh''. The Jewish Reform Movement attempted to abolish ritual circumcision in the late 19th Century.<ref>{{REFbook |last=Romberg |first=Rosemary |init= |author-link=Rosemary_Romberg |year=2021 |title=Circumcision: The Painful Dilemma |url= |work= |editor=Ulf Dunkel |edition=Second, Revised |volume= |chapter=Circumcision and Judaism |scope= |page=107 |pages= |location= |publisher=Kindle |ISBN=23:979-8683021252 |quote= |accessdate=2023-08-30 |note=}}</ref>

The first stage of a ritual circumcision, the initial cut, is called ''milah'' in Hebrew. The Hebrew word for "covenant," is ''brit'' in the Sephardic pronunciation now used in [[Israel]], or ''bris'' in the Ashkenazic pronunciation used over the centuries by European Jews outside of Spain and Portugal, hence the terms ''brit milah,'' or ''bris milah.'' Most Jewish Americans are familiar with the term "bris," as in "They're having the bris tomorrow." The term bris is well known, but few Jews realize that it means "covenant" rather than [[circumcision]].

Originally, Jewish circumcision, or "milah" only involved the removal of just the [[acroposthion| tip]] of the [[foreskin]]. This was realized by pulling the loose edge of the [[foreskin ]] up through a protective device called a ''barzel'' and slicing it off.

This stage of Jewish circumcision was implemented in the 2nd century by hardline rabbis who wanted to make it difficult for Jewish men to [[Foreskin restorationepispasm|restore]].<ref>{{REFbook

''[[Metzitzah b'peh]]'' (a word that means "sucking" in Hebrew) is a third stage of a traditional Jewish circumcision, although nowadays it is perfomed by only a few rigorously Orthodox mohels. In this stage, the ''[[mohel ]]'' sucks on the [[bleeding]] [[penis]] of the infant with his mouth; this is claimed to reduce [[bleeding]], though the origin and initial significance of this practice is unclear.

In the recent past (1913), it was realized that some mohels ''mohelim'' were transmitting tuberculosis and syphilis by oral contact with freshly wounded penises,<ref>{{REFjournal

}}</ref> so a modified version of metzitzah b'peh has been introduced, where mohels ''mohelim'' suck blood through a glass tube, in order to avoid direct contact with the [[penis]].

In 2005, [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/nyregion/26circumcise.html?_r=2 a mohel in New York] was found to have infected three newborns with [[herpes]] via [[metzitzah b'peh]], one of whom subsequently died. The Health Commissioner of the day, Thomas R. Frieden, basically pardoned Yitzchok Fischer, the ''[[mohel ]]'' in question, and no further action was to be done regarding getting Orthodox leaders to abandon metzitzah b'peh. Frieden's open letter to the Jewish community can be read [http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/std/std-bris-commishletter.pdf here].

According to the Fischer's lawyer, there was no "conclusive proof" that he had spread [[herpes]], and that he should be allowed to continue the practice. According to the ''[[mohel]]'', the twin who died and the Staten Island boy both had [[herpes]]-like rashes before they were [[circumcised ]] and were seen by a pediatrician who approved their circumcision (Fischer knew there was a problem and yet he continued?).