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Child naming and customs practiced during labor

  

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Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment...

Expecting: Hi. I am due to have a baby any day and my husband and I are having discussions about the traditions and customs of what to do re naming the child.

Expecting: I thought that you are not meant to tell the name of the boy until his Brit?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: traditionally

Expecting: Is it that you only tell the hebrew name at the brit or is it the english name as well? Also, does this include close family?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: it is tradition not to tell the jewish name til the brit

Expecting: So - you can tell the english name before?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: I wouldn't think that to be a problem

Expecting: Thank you. Are there any specific traditions regarding a girl?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: yes

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: the idea is to name her during Torah reading, as close to the birth as possible

Expecting: So again, do you keep the name to yourself until Shul?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: yes

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: and traditionally to make a Kiddush for her

Expecting: Thank you. Is there anything else I need to know? Or do?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: sleep alot now!

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: :-)

Expectingt: I am trying!

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: during labor, say some Tehillim and give Tzedakah

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: along with your husband

Expecting: I have a book of the tehillim to say. When do I give tzedakah? Before the delivery or after? To any charity or just my choice?

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: any charity, and anytime during labor

Expectingt: wow. Another thing to sort out.

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: during actual delivery, maybe have ur husband say the tehillim, and u concentrate on the baby

Expecting: ok

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: :-)

Expectingt: Thank you for your help. I will leave you to your family now.

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: best of luck

Mrs. Rochel Loewenthal: it should be easy!

Expecting: I hope so.


 


[Ed. note: Also read "Are there certain prayers recited during and after birth?"]

All names, places, and identifying information have been changed or deleted in order to protect the privacy of the questioners. In order to preserve authenticity, the chat sessions have been posted with a minimum of editing. Please excuse typographical errors, missing punctuation, and/or grammatical mistakes which naturally occur in the course of informal chat sessions.

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RELATED CATEGORIES

Life Cycle » Birth » Jewish names
Life Cycle » Circumcision » Jewish names
Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Tzedakah
"Tzedakah," commonly translated as charity, literally means righteousness, or the right thing to do. Giving to those in need is one of the most important of G-d's commandments.
Kiddush
Prayer recited at the beginning of the Sabbath or Holiday meal--both the evening and afternoon meals. This prayer, acknowledging the sanctity of the day, is recited over a cup of wine or grape juice.
Shul
(Yiddish) Synagogue.
Brit
[Lit. Covenant] Circumcision. The act of removing ones foreskin 8 days after birth, perpetuating a covenant with G-d originally established by the Patriarch Abraham.
Tehillim
The Book of Psalms. One of the 24 books of the Bible. Compiled by King David; mostly comprised of poetic praise for G-d. A large part of our prayers are culled from this book.