A discussion and analysis of the rulings and responses regarding the timing of weddings and bris milah throughout the Jewish community during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the development of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020, there was much discussion throughout the Jewish community regarding religious ritual and theology. Namely, leaders within the Jewish community discussed at great length the ideal manner in which individuals should go about typical religious practices and the proper theological responses they should invoke with regard to the extreme challenges brought forth by the development of the pandemic. Two specific topics of great discussion were the religious rituals of weddings and Bris Milah. Prior to the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world in February and March of 2020, many observant Jews had scheduled weddings to take place in the coming months. However, because of the development of the pandemic, it soon became an extreme health risk for large gatherings such as weddings to take place. In response, Rabbinic leaders throughout the broader Jewish community issued rulings regarding the ideal protocol concerning previously scheduled weddings and whether postponing wedding celebrations was ideal or even permitted at all. A similar phenomenon took place regarding the Jewish practice of Bris Milah. Many Rabbinic leaders discussed the ideal manner in which Bris Milah should be performed for newly born baby boys, and whether the Bris Milah could be performed on the eighth day following the birth of a newborn baby boy, which is when it is typically performed. Throughout the Jewish community as a whole, there were many different approaches taken by individuals regarding the timing of their own weddings and Bris Milah celebrations and the way in which such celebrations would be manifest. In Rabbinic literature, there is ample discussion regarding the typical practice of not postponing wedding celebrations, and there is significant discussion regarding the typical practice of not postponing Bris Milah as well. The rulings by Rabbinic leaders regarding Bris Milah and wedding celebrations as well as the specific responses by individuals to personal celebrations reflected significant differences between the two. Moreover, regarding both weddings and Bris Milah, responses within different Hashkafic communities toward the question of delaying celebrations can be attributed to particular attributes of those communities.