Bris for Bar Mitzva Boy

Question

Regarding bris and bar mitzvah for boys Can a boy still have a bar mitzvah if he did not have a bris?

Answer

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Having a bris/being circumcised is the most important mitzva for a male to fulfil. This is because it is the identifying feature of a Jew. When a baby has his bris he enters the holiness of the Jewish people. One who is circumcised is saved from the punishments of Gehinnom and one who is intentionally not circumcised has no share in the next world.

Nevertheless, an uncircumcised male is still a Jew as it is our Neshama that makes us Jewish. Anyone with a Jewish mother has a Jewish Neshama.

A child who reaches bar mitzva and is still not circumcised is still obligated to perform the mitzvot of the Torah just like everyone else. This includes the mitzvah of bris mila itself which the boy and his parents must arrange at the earliest opportunity.

Regarding the bar mitzvah: If a bris cannot be arranged before the bar mitzvah date, the bar mitzva may proceed as normal.

Source

Beis Yosef YD 260, YD 260; Aruch Hashulchan, YD 265:5; Minchat Yitzchak 4:10; Seridei Aish 1:11

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