המל מברך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על המילה ואבי הבן מברך בין חתיכת הערלה לפריעה אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להכניסו בבריתו של אברהם אבינו: הגה ואם אין אבי הבן אצל המילה יש מי שאומר שאדם אחר מברך ברכה זו דהרי הבית דין מצווין למולו (רמב"ם בשם י"א) ונוהגין שמי שתופס הנער מברך ברכה זו (טור ובשם ראב"ד והגהת מיי'בשם סמ"ק) וכן אם האב בכאן ואינו יודע לברך (רבינו ירוחם נתיב א' וכ"כ ב"י בשם אבודרהם) . האב והמוהל כשמברכים צריכים לעמוד (טור וב"י בשם ב"ה) אבל התופס הנער כשמברך נוהגים שיושב ומברך י"א שכל העם שהם אצל המילה יעמדו שנאמר ויעמוד העם בברית (מרדכי פר"א דמילה וכל בו ור' ירוחם ואבודרהם ותניא) וכן נוהגין מלבד התופס הנער שהוא יושב ואם אחרים עומדים שם אומרים כשם שהכנסתו לברית כן תכניסהו לתורה ולחופה ולמעשים טובים ואבי הבן או המוהל או א' מהעם מברך על הכוס בורא פרי הגפן ויש נוהגים ליטול הדס בידו ומברך עליו ולהריח ואומר בא"י אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדש ידיד מבטן וכו' ונוהגין שכשמגיע לבדמיך חיי נותן מהיין באצבעו בפי התינוק (וכשהמוהל מברך ברכה זו רוחץ תחלה ידיו ופיו כדי שיברך בנקיות) (אבודרהם):

Order of the blessings of the Bris and Laws of Bris on fast day. The circumciser blesses “who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us regarding circumcision.” The father blesses between the cutting of the foreskin and peeling back: “who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham, our father.” Rema: If the father of the boy is not at the Bris, there are those who say that another man makes this blessing because the court is obligated to circumcise him (Rambam) and our practice is that the one who holds the boy makes this blessing (Tur in the name of the Raavad and Hagahot Maimoniyot in the name of the Smak). So too if the father is at the Bris, but does not know how to make the blessing (Rabbeinu Yerucham). The father and the mohel need to stand when they bless, but the one holding the boy customarily sits when he blesses. There are those who say that all people at the Bris must stand because it says that “all the nation stood in covenant.” This is our custom except for the one holding the boy who sits down. And if others are standing there, they say “just as you brought him into the covenant, so too should you bring him in to Torah, to the wedding canopy, and to good deeds.” The father or the mohel, or one of the people there blesses on a cup: “who creates the fruit of the vine.” And some have the custom to take a myrtle in their hands, to bless on it and to smell it. He says “Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified his dear one from the womb etc.” Our custom is when we reach “BeDamayich Chayii” to put wine on his finger and in the mouth of the baby. (And when the mohel makes the blessing, he should wipe his hands and mouth first so that he does it in cleanliness.) (Abudarham)

If the father of the boy is the mohel, he blesses “to circumcise a son” according to the Rambam. (But there are those who disagree, (Tur in the name of the Baal Haitur) and our custom is not to differentiate. However, if he blessed “limol” or “lehachnieso” alone, he has fulfilled his obligation) (Hagahot Maimoniyot)

Seif 3 - A convert who was circumcised before he converted, and minor who was born circumcised, when we take a drop of blood from them (הטפת דם) they do not require a blessing. Similarly, one possessing both male and female genitalia, their circumcision does not require a blessing because they are not a male for certain. Rema: But when going back (to cut) flaps of skin that prevent the circumcision [from being kosher], one is required to go back and bless all of the blessings, but one does not say the phrase: “keep this child…”

Seif 4 - A mamzer is like a (regular) Jew and we bless the blessing for circumcision until [the point in the blessing when it says] “who makes the covenant”, and we do no has for mercy for him. And we make it public knowledge during his circumcision that he is a mamzer). During Yom Kippur and the other 4 fasts one should not make the blessing over a cup [of wine], however, during the three fasts where a woman who has recently given birth does not need to fast, it is permissible to make the blessing over a cup [of wine], and the woman should taste it if she hears the blessing and intends not to make an interruption between hearing the blessing and drinking the wine, but during Yom Kippur and the 9th of Av, when the woman who has recently given birth is not allowed to drink, we do not make the blessing over a cup [of wine], and during the 9th of Av we do not bring a myrtle, because the reasoning being that we (similarly) don’t make the blessing over the spices when the 9th of Av falls on Saturday night. Rema: And there are those who say that one makes the blessing over the cup [of wine] on all of the fasts, and he gives the blessing (i.e. the wine on which the blessing was made) to the small children. And this is how we practice, and during Yom Kippur, our practice is to give [some wine] to the child who was circumcised. And there are those who say that this is sufficient even when it is not a fast day, but we don’t practice accordingly; rather, the sandek should drink [from the cup] when it is not a fast day.

Seif 5 - Someone who has two babies to circumcise should make a single blessing for the two of them, even if two people are circumcising them, the first should make the blessing over the circumcision, which will cover the second circumcision, and the second person should make the blessing: “who Hashem sanctified” and the blessing will count for the first child, and even if the child is not in front of him during the blessing, since he was focused on the child, provided that he was not distracted in the interim.

When it is possible, the circumcision should be done among 10 individuals, and when it is not possible, it can be done among less than 10.

When the father himself is circumcising his son, he makes the blessing Shehachayenu, and if the one who is doing the circumcising is someone else, there are those who say that the blessing Shehachayenu is not said, and according to the Rambam, the father always makes the blessing שהחיינו for every circumcision, and this is how we practice in all of the community of the land of Israel, and in Syria, and in its environs, and in the Egyptian community. Rema: And in these places, the custom is not to bless Shehachayenu, even when the father himself is circumcising his son, unless he is circumcising his firstborn son who is obligated in being redeemed, then he makes the blessing Shehachayenu during the circumcision and does not make the blessing during the redemption, but when the child is exempt from being redeemed, he does not make the blessing Shehachayenu.

Seif 8 - There is no need to cover the child's nakedness during the blessing (for the circumcision). However, the child should be cleaned of any bodily waste before the blessing is recited. (Beit Yosef, in the name of the Kol Bo and the glosses on the Semak, section 158).

The Father of a son, stands over the mohel to let [the mohel] know that he is [acting as] the father’s agent.

Seif 10 - The Orla (foreskin) must be placed (buried) in sand or dirt. Rama: So too the blood from metzitzah should be spit into dirt.

Seif 11 - It is customary to set up a chair for Elijah, who is called the "angel of the covenant." When placing it, one should say aloud that it is Elijah's chair. Rama: It is also customary to honor this mitzvah by being the sandak (the one who holds the baby during the circumcision ceremony) for the mohel (the one who performs the circumcision). (Hagahot Maimoni, chapter 3 on Hilkhot Milah) The power of the sandak is considered greater than that of the mohel, entitling him to be called up first to the Torah reading, for every sandak is likened to one who offers incense (MaHaRIL, in the name of R' Peretz). Therefore, it is customary not to assign two children to a single father for the circumcision, just as we say regarding the incense offering, "new [attendants] for the incense offering" (ibid., in the name of R' Peretz). A woman should not be the sandak for a child where a man is available, as it would be considered immodest. However, she can assist her husband by bringing the child to the synagogue, and then her husband takes the child from her and becomes the sandak (ibid., in the name of Maharam). But a man can perform all these roles without a woman (as MaHaRIL did). It has become customary for mohels to pray on the day of the circumcision, as it is said, "High praises of God are in their throats, and two-edged swords in their hands." (Psalms 149:6)

It is customary to have a meal on the day of the circumcision. Rema: And it is customary to assemble a minyan [i.e., a quorum of ten] for the circumcision meal, and it is considered a “mitzvah meal." And anyone who does not participate in a mitzvah meal are like those outcast by God, but only if honest/worthy people are [in attendance] there. But if dishonest/unworthy people are [in attendance at the mitzvah meal], one is not obligated to eat there. It is also customary to make a meal and a feast on the Friday night after the birth of a son, and for people to come and partake [of food] near the baby. This is also a mitzvah meal.

On the day of a circumcision that falls on a public fast day, those called up to the Torah read the selichot (penitential prayers) and recite the vidui (confession of sins) as usual, but they do not say "V'hu rachum" (a liturgical phrase meaning "But He is merciful") nor do they perform nefilat apayim (prostrating themselves). (However, they do say "El erech apayim" - "God, patient and merciful.") (Beit Yosef in the name of Rashba)