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This question discusses other roles a non-Jew could take in a bris but leaves the Sandak question open:

Can a non-Jewish person participate in a bris?

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  • If you insist on Posting any Question like that in any English forum, why would it be a bad idea to translate everything in either the Question itself, or the exposition into English? Of course huge numbers of scholars will understand what you actually Posted and what makes you doubt that many - perhaps more - readers will be lost? Commented Nov 30, 2023 at 0:08

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Shu"t Divrei Malkiel (וע"ד שמושיבים נוצרי לסנדק) writes very strongly against it. He says the sandek plays a crucial role in the bris, and it's completely inappropriate to appoint someone not of the Jewish faith to bring a child into the covenant of Avraham, and it might even invalidate the bris. He forbids any mohel from participating in such an affair, even it means a child going uncircumcised.

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  • I'm not familiar with the source, is it considered a mainstream opinion on the matter? Does he explain his ruling backing it up with any earlier opinions?
    – rudolfovic
    Commented Nov 28, 2023 at 17:48
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    He presents it as common sense but also backs it up on technical grounds based on other rulings. I've seen it referenced in modern discussions, but if there are opinions that disagree, hopefully people will add them as answers.
    – shmosel
    Commented Nov 28, 2023 at 18:23
  • What if there is no one else around to hold the baby and you'd have to delay beyond the eighth day?
    – Double AA
    Commented Nov 29, 2023 at 1:15
  • @DoubleAA There may be room for leniency (or stringency?) where there's no alternative. See here: hidabroot.org/article/102342
    – shmosel
    Commented Nov 29, 2023 at 1:31

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