Where Did The Practice Of Sucking The Bloody Penis After Circumcising It Originate?

As I understand it, some of the more orthodox mohels, after having performed the circumcision, will suck the baby’s penis. Is this accurate? How common is this practice today??

What is the reason for doing this? I don’t see how it would do anything to prevent infection, as the mouth is considered to be the dirtiest part of the body. And I don’t see how it would be any more effective at stopping the bleeding than applying a bandage. Is this requirement spelled out somewhere in the Old Testament??

What would happen if a 35-year-old guy converted to orthodox Judaism and needed to be circumcised? Would his penis be sucked as well??

Thanks.

I have no information but I just find this question hilarious coming from someone who’s location reads “Gobbler’s knob”

Dude, you can’t be that desperate for a blow job. :dubious:

I’d welcome a serious answer to this tho’. It sounds like one of those “heathen savage” type rumors which should be sqaushed…

The practice, known as metzitzah originated well before Talmudic times. It is a method to clean the wound.

There is considerable controversy in the Jewish community today as to exactly how metzitzah should be done today and whether it requires direct application of the mouth or if some other device (such as a glass tube, for example) can be used instead.

I am not a mohel and do not really have sufficient knowledge to provide extensive answers on this topic.

Zev Steinhardt

I see now why Mom discouraged me from becoming a mohel. :smiley:

Wouldn’t that actually be highly unsanitary? Considering what a breeding ground for bacteria our mouths are.

Well, given that it’s an ancient practice which predates even a passing understanding of microbes, and given that any subsequent infection would merely be piled onto the list of complications that still plague the procedure, I feel compelled to say: Yeah. So?

:slight_smile:

I did find what appears to be an accurate description of the process:

If the process includes several vigorous mouth-washings with wine, wouldn’t the alcohol tend to disinfect the wound, negating Guinastasia’s concern? Seems like a pretty good process, since cloth bandages would have been prohibitively expensive when the process was invented.

Well, for most mouth-borne pathogens I’m sure it’d be sufficient. However, I just learned about this procedure myself recently, reading WebMD - Better information. Better health. this article.

“Today, you are a man, not that it’ll do you any good what with that mohel…”

I realize that. I’m saying, that to continue practicing it today, would that not be unwise, given what we know about bacteria?

:wink:

Guinastasia:

Hardly…since we know more about it, we know what precautions to take. Have the Mohel gargle with Listerine beforehand, immediately apply antiseptic to the wound, etc. The practice is safer for our increased knowledge.

Fair enough.

Would this not be considered molestation?

Why did they do this?

What was the significance of him doing it with his mouth instead of a cloth?

I can’t help but find this icky.

Which, cleaning the penis via sucking, or the whole process of circumcision?

Getting in Great Debate territory, here.
But most state laws regarding molestation contain language like "inappropriate touching, done for the purpose of sxual gratification

This is intended to exempt doctors & nurses doing medical procedures, massage therapists giving treatments, high-school coaches demonstrating wrestling holds, etc. from such laws.

What if you convert as an adult? :eek:

Nah, more like mohelestation.

I’d say it’d be making a mountebank out of a mohel. :smiley:

And hey, I never got to use this one before: ;j …

I never did get why that one was around. Why not an Irish one? Maybe :drunk:?

/me ducks