The sacred practice of traditional circumcision was first performed by the Jewish Patriarch Abraham, and the tradition has continued in every generation of Jewish people.
The Torah (Jewish Bible) places the primary obligation of performing the traditional circumcision on the father.
However, if he himself is not a qualified mohel, he then can delegate a qualified mohel to be his agent to perform the traditional circumcision for him.
Today, there are many Jewish children circumcised by the doctor in the hospital two days after birth.
However, our tradition teaches us that the circumcision should be performed on the eighth day and only by a qualified mohel.
This is because a mohel is an expert in the surgical aspects of circumcision as well as knowledgeable in the laws and customs pertaining to a traditional circumcision and ceremony.
In case of an issue regarding the health of the newborn baby, the circumcision is postponed until a week after the child has completely recovered as determined by his physician in consultation with the mohel.
