Must Meat be Served at a Bris?

By: Rabbi Ari Enkin

Many authorities insist that any meal held in honor of a mitzva must include meat in order to be awarded the status of a "seudat mitzvah".[1] This is related to the idea that "there is no joy, except with meat and wine"[2], and the foods served at the seuda following the bris should reflect the joyous nature of the event. Additionally, our sages equate a bris to a korban - an offering in the Beit Hamikdash - and the meal which follows the bris corresponds to the eating of the korban. Indeed, it is for this reason as well that many authorities insist that meat be served at the meal following a bris - just like the korbanot were of meat, so too the seudat bris mila should also consist of meat. Meat is also to be served at a bris which takes place during the nine days when eating meat is ordinarily forbidden.[3]

Considering that most bris milas take place in the early morning, sitting down to a meat meal at that time of day is not viewed as appetizing to most people, to say the least.[4] As such, a number of authorities hesitantly find justification for the practice to serve dairy at a bris[5] while others permit doing so outright.[6]

Click here to read moreConsidering that most bris milas take place in the early morning, sitting down to a meat meal at that time of day is not viewed as appetizing to most people, to say the least.[4] As such, a number of authorities hesitantly find justification for the practice to serve dairy at a bris[5] while others permit doing so outright.[6] It is also noted that since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash meat does not arouse the same level of joy that it once did. According to some authorities the obligation to hold a meal with foods of "joy" may be discharged with serving wine or grape juice at the bris as part of a dairy meal.[7]

There is even an opinion that serving dairy at a bris is actually quite appropriate as it recalls how Sara was miraculously able to nurse her child, as well as many other children, on the day of Yitzchak's bris.[8] Some suggest that if one must serve dairy at the bris seuda then one should arrange that at least "a minyan" of individuals can enjoy a meat meal in honor of the event.[9] There is also an opinion that there is no obligation for the seuda to have the status of a "joyous" meal at all, thereby making serving meat at a bris completely unnecessary.[10]

Another option for the bris menu is fish which is also said to be a food which reflects the joyous nature of an event.[11] If one simply cannot afford to serve meat to the many guests that are expected to attend, then meat need not be served.[12] There were even communities in the past in which meat was never served at a bris in order not to embarrass those in the community who couldn’t afford to serve it at their simchas.[13] Indeed, there were even communities in which the meal following a bris consisted of little more than a "l'chaim" and some cake due to the dire financial straits of the time.[14]

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[1] Magen Avraham 249:6
[2] Pesachim 109a
[3] O.C. 551:9
[4] Chatam Sofer O.C. 69
[5] Maharam Schik Y.D. 366
[6] Shlah;Shabbat 131a
[7] Ot Bris 265:14, Biur Halacha 529 s.v. Keitzad
[8] Zecher David 3:4, cited in Chokrei Minhagim (Gurary) Vol. II
[9] Torat Chaim O.C.551:26
[10] Maharam Schik Y.D. 366
[11] Magen Avraham 533:8, Shevet Halevi 3:18
[12] Teshuvot V'hanhagot 2:285
[13] Kerem Chemed 45, Eretz Chaim Y.D. 265:12, cited in Chokrei Minhagim (Gurary) Vol. II
[14] Aruch Hashulchan 265:37

Twitter Summary We should have meat at a bris but we don't, and that's OK