Berlin - In an interview with German newspaper Berliner Zeitung, a prominent European rabbi has come out against metzitza b’peh, saying that the practice is not recommended.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt spoke about the controversial practice after a group that represents sexual abuse victims filed charges against Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal, the Chabad shaliach to Berlin, for having metzitza b’peh performed on his infant son several weeks ago. R’ Goldschmidt is the Chief Rabbi and Av Beis Din of Moscow, president of the Conference of European Rabbis and an officer of the Russian Jewish Congress who also represents the Russian Jewish community politically.
Explaining that metzitza b’peh has historically been performed as part of a bris mila, R’ Goldschmidt said that some continue the practice today in the belief that with their more conservative lifestyle, monogamous religious Jews who do not do drugs are not affected by sexually transmitted diseases and herpes. However, given the realities of today’s world where occasional lapses do unfortunately occur, it is preferable for a mohel to use a tube or a pipette instead.
Asked for his opinion on the case against R’ Teichtal, R’ Goldschmidt replied, “We suggest that a tube or a pipette be used instead of the mouth in order to prevent babies from contracting herpes or other diseases. According to Jewish law, this method of suction is permissible and is it is most commonly done this way throughout Europe.”
R’ Goldschmidt expressed his opinion that decisions regarding metzitza b’peh be made by either the Orthodox Rabbinical Conference in German or the Rabbinical Seminary in Berlin and it should not be regulated by the German government.
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