A mother gave birth to a boy by cesarean section. Should we proceed with the brit mila on the eighth day, or can it be postponed to the following day?
Answer:
The Brit Mila should be done specifically on the eighth day. However, for a baby born by cesarean section, if the eighth day falls on Shabbos, the bris is postponed to Sunday.
Sources: Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 266:10; the reason why the bris of a baby born by cesarean section is not performed on Shabbos, is that the pasuk instructing circumcision also mentions the mother’s state of purity, which is different for cesarean than for regular births.
This is correct, except in the case of Shabbes or Yom Tov. Then, in fact, we do postpone the bris if the child born of a cesarean section were born such that the bris would fall on Shabbes or Yom Tov.
Thank you. I have changed the reply to address the issue of Shabbos.
Thank you.
Cantor Mark E Kushner
Certified Mohel
Philadelphia, PA
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