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When a child is born during bein hashemashot, uncertainty about which day constitutes the eighth day can push a bris to the ninth, tenth, or even twelfth day to avoid performing it improperly on Shabbos (שבת). The shiur analyzes Shabbos 137a-b's technical requirements for proper milah and the timing of blessings, showing how safek in halacha (הלכה) creates stringencies that prioritize correct observance over convenience.
This shiur provides an extensive analysis of the laws surrounding bris milah as discussed in Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 137a-b. The lecture begins by examining complex scenarios where a bris must be postponed beyond the eighth day due to various calendar complications. Rabbi Zweig explains that when a child is born during bein hashemashot (twilight), there is uncertainty whether the birth occurred on that day or the next, creating a safek (doubt) about when the eighth day falls. This uncertainty leads to situations where the bris may need to be delayed to the ninth, tenth, or even twelfth day to avoid performing it on Shabbos or Yom Tov when it would not be considered a proper eighth-day milah. The Mishna discusses specific scenarios: when a child is born on Friday during bein hashemashot and Shabbos follows, the bris must be delayed to Sunday (the tenth day) rather than risk performing a non-eighth-day milah on Shabbos. Even more complex is when two days of Yom Tov follow, such as with Rosh Hashanah, potentially pushing the bris to the twelfth day. The shiur explores the distinction between Rosh Hashanah (considered one long day) and other two-day holidays observed outside Israel.
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Shabbos 137a-b
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