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Scenario: a child is born and his parents are not religious. They circumcise him in the hospital as part of neonatal care.

If he becomes religious later in life, or if his parents become religious while he is young, does he require hatafat dam brit?

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  • I don't think so and I think I remember this somewhere from R' Moshe Feinstein.
    – rosenjcb
    Oct 13, 2014 at 23:56
  • dupe? judaism.stackexchange.com/q/30079/2699
    – Bochur613
    Oct 14, 2014 at 2:14
  • @Bochur613 seems so - your answer there (+1) has the promise that you will come and update it - nu? Oct 14, 2014 at 2:43
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    @Bochur613, the other question was asking whether a hospital circumcision is permissible (lechatchila). This one is asking what happens if it was done (=*bedi'avad*). Not a duplicate.
    – Isaac Moses
    Oct 14, 2014 at 3:38

1 Answer 1

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In all likelihood he was surgically 'circumcised' before the eighth day, being that the newborns are sent home by day two or three. As such, he is not considered circumcised according to halacha. Even if we would rule with any other leniency such as circumcision at night (probably not in a hospital setting) and circumcision by a nonjew (very likely).

The relevant laws are found in Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah siman 262 siff 1 with Ramma, and siman 264 siff 1 with Ramma.

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  • or to anybody. how would this answer be different if in fact the child was surgically circumcised on the 8th day by a Jewish doctor, who is not a mohel?
    – ninamag
    Nov 12, 2018 at 7:38
  • There is no religious qualification to be a 'mohel'. If one knows how to do mila, they do it and that's it.
    – user6591
    Nov 12, 2018 at 14:44

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