What is circumcision?

Circumcision is not only a medical term. It is also a centuries-old tradition, which arose several thousand years ago. And to this day the removal of the extremely flesh of men is an important event, a ritual for some peoples. So what is circumcision? This topic will be considered in the article.

What is circumcision? A bit of history

Circumcision, or circumcision, is a rather important ritual. The first written mention of such a rite refers to the year 2300 BC. It is this time that the painting on the wall of one of the ancient Egyptian tombs on which this process is depicted is dated. The same tradition was held by the Phoenicians and some other peoples. Here, such a ritual meant the boy's entry into adulthood and testified that he was allowed to marry.

It's no secret that circumcision is an integral part of Jewish culture. After all, the biblical texts quite unambiguously say that every man belonging to the "chosen people" must be circumcised. Uncut people are considered to be gentiles, not worthy to turn to God.

Circumcision among Muslims is also a rather old tradition. Here, this procedure is carried out for religious purposes. Thus, the man makes it clear that he follows the ideals of personal hygiene and purity, which in due time were established by the Prophet himself.

By the way, this procedure was practiced among the Indian tribes in Central America. In addition, this tradition is also common among African nationalities. This ritual meant rebirth from a boy to a man. It is interesting that some representatives of African tribes wear a severed foreskin with them in a small bag.

Over time, this practice has spread across Europe. But here it was not so much religious as medical grounds and was carried out for hygiene purposes.

What is circumcision, how and when is it performed?

In fact, the timing of the implementation is different for different cultures. For example, in ancient Egyptians circumcision was carried out at the age of 14 years of the boy's life and was some kind of recognition of his sexual maturity. In Muslim nations, boys undergo a procedure at the age of 7 to 10 years, because then the child can already pray independently. Although circumcision can be carried out at any other time.

And the Jews circumcise, as a rule, on the eighth day after the birth of the child. There is a lot of explanation why it is necessary to wait exactly 8 days. In any case, during this time the child and his mother recover enough from childbirth. By the way, if the baby is too weak or unwell, the ritual can be postponed.

Circumcision should be conducted in the afternoon, and best of all after the morning prayer. At one time, the ritual was performed exclusively in the synagogue, but today the procedure can be carried out at home, but in the presence of 13 adult male Jews. It should be noted that the day of circumcision is a real holiday, a great event for the whole family.

In any case, the procedure can be carried out at any age in which a person will take faith.

What is circumcision from a medical point of view?

As for the opinion of doctors on the account of mass circumcisions on religious or social beliefs, they are very ambiguous. Some experts believe that this reduces the risk of developing penile cancer or reduces the chance of catching an infectious venereal disease. In any case, with normal body work, circumcision is not necessary.

Nevertheless, there are a number of diseases and disorders in the development of the reproductive system, during which circumcision is carried out for medical reasons and is an obligatory part of the treatment. For example, phimosis, which is accompanied by a narrowing of the foreskin, is considered a fairly common disease. Male circumcision is also part of the treatment of balanitis.