הֲטָפַת דַּם בְּרִית
1. Introduction
Hatafat Dam Brit (הֲטָפַת דַּם בְּרִית), the “touching of the blood of the covenant,” is a sacred act performed when an adult convert to Judaism has already been circumcised prior to entering the covenant. In this brief but meaningful ritual, a single symbolic drop of blood is drawn, linking the convert to the ancient chain of Israel’s covenant with God. Though the gesture is minimal, its spiritual significance is profound: it marks covenantal belonging, chosen with intention and dignity.
This moment is shared among three participants, each standing in a different emotional and spiritual place:
The Rabbi – Witness to Covenant
The rabbi stands as a guardian of tradition and as a pastoral presence, witnessing the convert’s entry into brit, the sacred covenant that binds the Jewish people across generations. The rabbi affirms the seriousness, dignity, and kedushah—the holiness—of this choice.
The Mohel(et) – Agent of Ritual Action
The mohel(et) (or trained medical professional acting in this capacity) performs the ritual with precision, compassion, and reverence. Their role is not merely technical, but covenantal: they enact a gesture that connects an individual life to the ancient promise made between God and Israel.
The Convert – Choosing a Covenant Path
For the convert, this moment is both intimate and profound. It is the culmination of study, self-reflection, and courageous choice. The physical ritual echoes a spiritual truth: the covenant is not inherited but embraced. The convert enters the Jewish people with intention, dignity, and full belonging.
Modesty, Privacy, and the Ethic of Dignity
Hatafat Dam Brit is, by its nature, a deeply private ritual. Jewish tradition emphasizes tzniut—modesty, discretion, and respect for personal boundaries. Even more central is the Torah’s uncompromising ethic of k’vod habriyot, human dignity, and the prohibition against causing embarrassment.
The procedure is performed in the most respectful and minimal manner possible, with only those present whose roles are required—typically the mohel, the rabbi or beit din representative, and sometimes a single support person invited by the convert. The intent is clear: this ritual is never to be a spectacle or a source of shame, but an intimate, protected moment of sacred transition. Privacy is not only a courtesy; it is a halakhic and moral imperative.
Why We Include Psalms
Psalms have accompanied Jewish lives for millennia—moments of fear and moments of ascent, moments of seeking and moments of gratitude. In conversion, they give language to inner transformation. Psalm 16, a psalm of refuge, guidance, and joyful commitment, sets the spiritual tone at the opening of the ritual. Psalm 121, traditionally read in moments of uncertainty and protection, is embedded in the ritual itself to surround the moment with blessing and assurance.
2. Ritual Script
Opening: Selections from Psalm 16 — Mikhtam L’David
מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד
שָׁמְרֵנִי אֵל כִּי־חָסִיתִי בָךְ
יְיָ מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי
שִׁוִּיתִי יְיָ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד
לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי וַיָּגֶל כְּבוֹדִי
תוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
The Eternal is my portion and my cup.
I set the Eternal before me always;
with God at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices;
You show me the path of life—
abundance of joy in Your presence.
Rabbi’s Opening Words
“Today you stand at the threshold of covenant, joining your story to the story of our people. This act is small in gesture but vast in meaning. May it be for you a moment of rootedness, belonging, and joy.”
Mohel(et) to the Convert
“I perform this act with gentleness and honor, as a sign of your entry into the covenant of Abraham and Sarah. Your choice elevates this moment—your heart, your intention, and your journey make this drop of blood a gateway into the people of Israel.”
Convert’s Reflection (optional)
“I come to this moment with gratitude and humility, choosing the covenant that has given life, purpose, and holiness to generations. May this ritual seal my commitment to walk in the ways of Torah and the Jewish people.”
The Act of Hatafat Dam Brit
(Performed silently; no blessing is recited beforehand.)
Psalm 121 — Shir LaMa’alot
שִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת
אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִים, מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי
עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְיָ, עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ
אַל־יִתֵּן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֶךָ, אַל־יָנוּם שֹׁמְרֶךָ
הִנֵּה לֹא־יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל
יְיָ שֹׁמְרֶךָ; יְיָ צִלְּךָ עַל־יַד יְמִינֶךָ
יוֹמָם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֹא יַכֶּכָּה, וְיָרֵחַ בַּלָּיְלָה
יְיָ יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל־רָע; יִשְׁמֹר אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ
יְיָ יִשְׁמָר־צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם
A Song of Ascents.
I lift my eyes to the mountains—
from where does my help come?
My help comes from the Eternal,
Maker of heaven and earth.
God will not let your foot slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
Behold—the Guardian of Israel
neither slumbers nor sleeps.
The Eternal is your Keeper;
your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Eternal will guard you from all harm;
God will guard your soul.
The Eternal will guard your going out and your coming in,
now and forever.
3. Concluding Blessings
Blessing for the Convert
(Tur Yoreh De’ah 268)
Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו
וְצִוָּנוּ לָמוּל אֶת הַגֵּרִים
וּלְהַטִּיף מֵהֶם דַּם בְּרִית
שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא דַּם בְּרִית לֹא נִתְקַיְּמוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ
:שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר
אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה
חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, כּוֹרֵת הַבְּרִית
Transliteration:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam,
asher kiddishanu b’mitzvotav
v’tzivanu lamul et ha-gerim
ul’hatif meihem dam brit,
she’ilmalei dam brit lo nitkaymu shamayim va’aretz,
shene’emar:
Im lo beriti yomam va-laylah,
chukot shamayim va’aretz lo samti.
Barukh atah Adonai, koret ha-brit.
English Translation:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who sanctified us with divine commandments
and commanded us to circumcise converts
and to draw from them the blood of the covenant,
for were it not for the covenant of blood,
heaven and earth would not endure,
as it is said:
“If not for My covenant, day and night,
I would not have set the laws of heaven and earth.”
Blessed are You, Eternal One, who seals the covenant.
Rabbi’s Concluding Words
“Having witnessed this sacred act, I am deeply moved by the courage, devotion, and intentionality you have brought to this moment. Choosing to join the covenant of our people is not a small step—it is a tremendous commitment, one that echoes across generations of our ancestors. As the Talmud teaches:
‘גֵּר שֶׁנָּכָה בְּכֵן יְקוּבָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּוְלַד בְּתוֹכֵנוּ’
(Yevamot 47a) — “A convert who comes in sincerity is beloved, as one born among us.”
May this covenant guide your heart, inspire your actions, and bind you always to the enduring light of Torah, community, and holiness. Today, we rejoice not only in the fulfillment of a ritual but in the spiritual courage it represents—a courage that transforms both the individual and the community.”
