Blow to Rabbi Goldschmidt • Chief Rabbinate states: Do not cancel 'mouth sucking'

Support expressed by Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Rabbi in Moscow and President of the Conference of European Rabbis, for fighters against the practice of mouth sucking during circumcision, as well as the Berlin affair - suffered a blow today.

While ultra-Orthodox communities in Europe in general and Germany in particular storm around the controversial interview - Goldschmidt gave German newspaper Berliner Zeitung - was first exposed on B'Chadrei Charedim - it is "recommended" not to carry out the 'mouth sucking', customary, he claims in "closed" Orthodox communities, "Chief Rabbinate went out with a letter stating:" the position of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel from time is that the mitzvah of mila is carried out by mouth sucking as was determined by the poskim for generations."

Rabbi Goldsmith's remarks in an interview with German newspaper spoken recently about a complaint filed by a German blogger against Berlin Rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtel after a mohel carried out the mouth sucking procedure during his son's bris. The complaint stirs the Jewish community in Germany.

At the beginning of the interview Goldschmidt was asked directly - by the interviewer about the case against Rabbi of Berlin - and Goldsmith replied: "According to Jewish law, mouth sucking during circumcision is part of tradition. We recommend using patter or tube and not the mouth to prevent contaminating the child with disease herpes virus and other diseases. According to Jewish religious law using patter (sucking) is allowed. It is also the most common way in Europe."

And then said: "Some closed Orthodox communities believe that they are not affected by the herpes disease and other diseases because of their way of life. There are always minorities who dismiss the customs of the community. We cannot dictate to people what to do but just to recommend them."

Later in the interview Goldsmith also "questioned" the wisdom of the act of Teichtel, because, he said, he was not worthy to be done - by a community leader and public figure. However, he added that he thinks it should be resolved within the community and without the intervention of the legal system.

Following the uproar, Rabbi Moshe Murciano, Director of Circumcisions at the Chief Rabbinate sent a letter to Rabbi Teichtel, which states: "We confirm that the position from time is that the mitzvah of mila is carried out by mouth sucking as was determined by the poskim for generations.

After halachic quote, and discussion in the event that there is a danger to the child, Rabbi Murciano concludes: "Thus the Interministerial Committee for Supervising Mohalim of Israel determined that there is no place to undo this action of mouth sucking unless the mohel has a sore in his mouth or any other infectious disease."

At the end, writes Rabbi Murciano: "Nevertheless the Commission requires of the mohel receiving the family's consent prior to performing mouth sucking."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!