By Berl Falbaum
Warning: Readers are advised to use discretion on whether to read this column; the subject covered is very sensitive — really sensitive — especially for men.
At a Trump Cabinet meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested there may be a link between autism and circumcision while repeating the unproven theory that Tylenol causes the disorder.
There are two studies, Kennedy said, “that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they are given Tylenol.”
I was told the mohel (Jewish word for person who does the circumcision) gave me a cube of sugar that had been dipped in wine. Tylenol did not come to market until 1955, some 17 years after my circumcision.
Maybe that’s why I don’t like wine and don’t use sugar in my coffee.
Relatives and friends informed me that I screamed a lot — who wouldn’t — but this did not stop the mohel. He claimed he was performing a required Jewish ritual; I thought, years later, he wanted to make a couple of hundred bucks — at my expense no less.
Kennedy’s medical insight reminded me of meeting two Maasai tribesmen when, a few years ago, my wife and I joined a photo safari to Kenya and visited the tribe’s village.
One of them was the tribe’s doctor – a medicine man — who did the circumcisions. When my wife asked him at what age the procedure was performed, he said, “When boys are 15.”
I doubled over feeling the pain, badly needing some Tylenol. My wife, let out a loud, “achhhhh.”
The Maasai culture demands that the boy remain silent during the procedure; expressions of pain dishonor him. I guess I would have been blackballed from the tribe.
“When you do it?” the Maasai medicine man asked.
“At eight days,” replied my wife.
“Achhhh,” countered the tribesman, reveling in his one-upmanship.
The Maasai procedure takes place during a ceremony known as Emuratta and it marks the formal passage from boyhood to “moranhood” (warriorhood.)
Jewish boys should be extremely happy that they can make the passage from boys to men when they turned 13 by just reading from the Torah at their bar-mitzvahs. That is unless they want to be Maasai warriors.
Circumcision in Judaism is done at a ceremony called a “bris.” God, in the Book of Genesis (17:14-10), commands Abraham to circumcise his son but he makes no mention of Tylenol.
The Maasai visit happened pre-Kennedy, so, obviously, I did not ask him how many cases of autism he caused. But I wonder what they would have made about Kennedy’s warnings.
Of course, Tylenol would not be an issue for the Maasai since the tribe’s medicines come from plants, shrubs, trees, etc. The medicine man did not tell us whether these medications cause autism. One thing is certain: the tribe would never appoint Kennedy to be in charge of its health policies.
Most of the medical community, including male doctors who I assume were circumcised, blasted Kennedy’s comments.
Most important, I wanted the opinions of those who wield the izmelm (Hebrew for surgical scalpels.)
I called several mohels and left voice messages that I wanted their views on Secretary Kennedy’s warnings. But none returned my phone calls.
I surmised that they were worried if they differed with Kennedy, he might have Trump order Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict them.
As we left the Maasai village and got into our chauffeured car, I heard the medicine man asked:
“Have you been circumcised?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” I shouted and then told my driver, “Hit it!”
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
Warning: Readers are advised to use discretion on whether to read this column; the subject covered is very sensitive — really sensitive — especially for men.
At a Trump Cabinet meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested there may be a link between autism and circumcision while repeating the unproven theory that Tylenol causes the disorder.
There are two studies, Kennedy said, “that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they are given Tylenol.”
I was told the mohel (Jewish word for person who does the circumcision) gave me a cube of sugar that had been dipped in wine. Tylenol did not come to market until 1955, some 17 years after my circumcision.
Maybe that’s why I don’t like wine and don’t use sugar in my coffee.
Relatives and friends informed me that I screamed a lot — who wouldn’t — but this did not stop the mohel. He claimed he was performing a required Jewish ritual; I thought, years later, he wanted to make a couple of hundred bucks — at my expense no less.
Kennedy’s medical insight reminded me of meeting two Maasai tribesmen when, a few years ago, my wife and I joined a photo safari to Kenya and visited the tribe’s village.
One of them was the tribe’s doctor – a medicine man — who did the circumcisions. When my wife asked him at what age the procedure was performed, he said, “When boys are 15.”
I doubled over feeling the pain, badly needing some Tylenol. My wife, let out a loud, “achhhhh.”
The Maasai culture demands that the boy remain silent during the procedure; expressions of pain dishonor him. I guess I would have been blackballed from the tribe.
“When you do it?” the Maasai medicine man asked.
“At eight days,” replied my wife.
“Achhhh,” countered the tribesman, reveling in his one-upmanship.
The Maasai procedure takes place during a ceremony known as Emuratta and it marks the formal passage from boyhood to “moranhood” (warriorhood.)
Jewish boys should be extremely happy that they can make the passage from boys to men when they turned 13 by just reading from the Torah at their bar-mitzvahs. That is unless they want to be Maasai warriors.
Circumcision in Judaism is done at a ceremony called a “bris.” God, in the Book of Genesis (17:14-10), commands Abraham to circumcise his son but he makes no mention of Tylenol.
The Maasai visit happened pre-Kennedy, so, obviously, I did not ask him how many cases of autism he caused. But I wonder what they would have made about Kennedy’s warnings.
Of course, Tylenol would not be an issue for the Maasai since the tribe’s medicines come from plants, shrubs, trees, etc. The medicine man did not tell us whether these medications cause autism. One thing is certain: the tribe would never appoint Kennedy to be in charge of its health policies.
Most of the medical community, including male doctors who I assume were circumcised, blasted Kennedy’s comments.
Most important, I wanted the opinions of those who wield the izmelm (Hebrew for surgical scalpels.)
I called several mohels and left voice messages that I wanted their views on Secretary Kennedy’s warnings. But none returned my phone calls.
I surmised that they were worried if they differed with Kennedy, he might have Trump order Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict them.
As we left the Maasai village and got into our chauffeured car, I heard the medicine man asked:
“Have you been circumcised?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” I shouted and then told my driver, “Hit it!”
————————
Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
