Inasmuch as you have been zealous for the commandment of Milah, every time a circumcision is performed, you will give testimony to the children of Israel that they shall preserve this mitzvah. Since that time we include a chair of Elijah, who is known as the Angel of the Covenant, at the ceremony. The chair of Elijah may be an adaptation of a local non-Jewish custom of setting aside a chair or table in the house for a god of fortune who was thought to bring good luck. Conversely, the dedication of the special chair may be a carryover from the ancient custom of resting the Torah on a special chair when not in use. In communities where the circumcision ritual is performed in the synagogue, a special chair is dedicated for this purpose.
Regional differences are apparent in the chair's structural style, size and decoration.
To this day, the baby is placed on the Chair of Elijah at the beginning of the circumcision ritual, and then on the knees of the sandek . In some communities, the sandek sits on the Chair during the ritual, whereas in others, this chair is left empty for the Prophet. David ben Joseph Abudarham was a liturgical commentator in Spain. His Sefer Abudarham was written in 1340 in Seville. Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer is a midrash on Genesis and part of Exodus and Numbers.