Judaism's highest obligation is to protect the children. If studies show MBP to be a hazardous practice, it needs to be ended. The NY law does not go far enough with only requiring parental consent. Many haredi parents will do what their rabbi tells them to do.

Any rabbi doing circumcisions I believe already needs to be board certified in the USA, if not they should be. In addition, parental consent should be required for any part of the practice. In addition if there is a problem of contracting disease through this practice, all rabbis doing circucisions should be required to do monthly blood tests.

The very idea that a man would let blood of a baby into his mouth when even with animals we are instructed to poor blood on the ground, not suck it out, begs the question: Where in the world do they get that this is acceptable by Torah or any other rational? You do not see even in the stories written about Abraham (written by unknown authors and in the second person), such claims made. If it was never spelled out, it was made up. No adding. Be done with this mouth tradition already. I for one hope they fail. Very least that a parent can say no you cannot put your lips to my childs blood. Just another reason why Dev 13 and 18 are ooh so important in ruling over "traditions".

Seems to me that the law does not outlaw circumcision, but requires the parents to confirm their belief in Jewdism before imposing it on the child. I am sure the Jews would object if the Church wanted to baptize a child without the consent of the parents. The state is just making sure that the parents are agreeable to the arrangements.

Josh, you are 100% correct! This is a disgusting tradition of men and is a Torah violation in many ways, not the least of them being adding to Torah. I would not let a mohel who would practice this within a city block of my child.

That photo accompanying the article is misleading. The person doing the cutting is using a flint knife that is septic and as was done 4,000 years ago and not modern surgical instruments.

Under any other circumstances a man placing his mouth against the privates of a small baby is child abuse and child sexual abuse NO MATTER WHAT THE REASON.