Payment for a Mohel

Paying a Mohel 

 

A mohel (professional Jewish circumciser) should not request payment for the act of performing a circumcision, since he is performing a mitzvah. In fact, poskim tell us that we should reprimand a mohel who does so. If a mohel insists on being paid, it’s an indication that he is not a member of the Jewish nation whose trademark is compassion. However, despite the fact that he may not ask to be paid, the mohel should nevertheless be shown appreciation; in addition, he should be reimbursed for his expenses, such as the cost of the medication he administered and his transportation costs. He may even charge for his services if there was another mohel in the area who would have been willing to perform the bris in his stead. He is also entitled to s’char batalah (compensation for wages he would have earned had he not been occupied with performing the bris). #347?1

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Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.