It's All About Being There

When my friend called me to do his new son's bris in NY last shabbos, I jumped at the opportunity. It's always an honor, but even moreso when I have a relationship with the baby's parents.

Flights were booked, and once fears of Hurricane Irene grounding me were put to rest, I was on my way on Friday. No delays - a perfect trip.

The bris took place on Shabbos morning, on time, as it should be. Over shabbos, the grandfather of a newborn, whose bris was supposed to take place the following morning, approached me. He told me they had hired a mohel to come the following morning, but as Hurricane Irene was scheduled to come that night, and no one knew what damage it might bring, they would like me to be on call in the event that the other mohel could not make it.

That evening I received confirmation that the other mohel was not going to be available, so I served as the pinch-hitting mohel.

The following morning, though the storm was over, the damage in the local neighborhood was thankfully minimal (some lost power, some had flooded basements). The bris took place in a house where power had not been lost, and though the lights flickered once or twice, they stayed on full blast during the bris itself.

It was an honor to serve as mohel for both families.

Traveling always carries with it a story - and this one is for the books.