Is a woman allowed to perform a bris?
Answer:
According to a number of authorities, it is permitted for women to perform a bris. This is based first and foremost on the biblical narrative of Tzipporah, who the Torah writes performed a bris for her son.
However, the status of women in performing a bris is already debated in the Talmud (Avodah Zarah 27a), and is the subject of a dispute between Rav and Rabbi Yochanan, the latter permitting women to perform a bris, and the former prohibiting it. The general rule is that the halachah follows the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan, which would mean that a woman is permitted to perform a bris. Therefore, although some rule that a woman may not perform a bris (see Tosafos, A.Z. 27a), most authorities write that she can. However, most poskimwrite that although a woman can perform a bris, it is preferable that a man should perform it, and this is the common custom (see Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 264:1, and Shach 2).
