Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27)
OVERVIEW
After explaining the origins of the universe and of humanity, in Lech Lecha the Torah now turns to the origins of what became known as the Jewish people. We are introduced to the powerful characters of Avraham and Sarah (originally known as Avram and Sarai before God changes their names) who are asked by God to leave their home in Haran and "go" to the land that would be shown to them. In an act of great faith, they do go, with Lot their nephew and a large entourage, and arrive in Canaan, the land that God promises to Abraham and his descendants. But, due to famine, they are soon forced to leave Canaan. They go down to Egypt and then back again to Canaan, encountering adventure and adversity all along the way. Repeatedly, God enters in a formal covenantal relationship with Abraham, promising to give him land and to make of his descendants a great people. Sarah and Abraham seem unable to conceive a child, and so, keeping with the custom of time, Sarah offers Hagar, her maidservant, to bear Abraham a son. Hagar does conceive, and gives birth to Ishmael, but this causes great jealousy in Sarah. As the portion closes, God instructs Abraham to circumcise himself and his son and all future male descendants as a sign of the eternal covenant.
IN FOCUS
"Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you shall be circumcised." (Genesis 17:10)
PSHAT
When there is not a lot of commentary on a particular passage of the Torah, that is an indication that the sages felt the meaning of the passage was pretty self evident. And so it is with this passage. Ramban (Rabbi Moses ben Nachman) goes so far as to say in his commentary that "the matter is clearly explained in Scripture." God reappears to Avram and reiterates the terms of the Brit - the Covenant - which have previously been established in the "Covenant between the Pieces" (Gen. 15:1-21). If Avram agrees to follow God's commandments and "Walk in My Ways," then God will make Avram a "father of a multitude of nations" and give the land of Canaan as "an everlasting possession." This is to be "an everlasting covenant throughout the generations" for Avram and his offspring to come. This time though, as a sign of this new covenenatal relationship with God, Avram's name is changed to "Avraham" - "father of a multitude". There is also one other significant addition to this covenant: as an Ot Brit - Sign of the Covenant - Abraham must circumcise the flesh of his foreskin (Gen. 17:11). Abraham complies, and at the age of 99 he circumcises himself, his 13 year old son Ishmael, and all the male members of his household. From that point on, for all following generations, descendants of Abraham have been circumcised on the eighth day.
DRASH
But is it so straightforward for us today? Ouch. While finally taking down my Sukkah this past weekend, I got a splinter in the tip of my index finger. An ache shot through my entire arm and the pain seemed unbearable. But compared to the thought of self-circumcision at the age of 99, my simple little Sukkah sliver was nothing. Of all the possible signs, why did the Holy One choose circumcision? There is not a single guy I know who can even think about it without crossing his legs.
Jewish tradition has given many reasons for Milah - circumcision - as the sign of the Brit. It is never dealt with as a medical or cosmetic issue, and we will not enter into that discussion here. Rather, it is seen as a purely symbolic matter. God has commanded us to circumcise as a sign of the covenenat. But why circumcision? Why not some other symbol that hits a little less close to home?
Ramban reflects a number of traditions by stating that "the reason for the commandment of circumcision is that God has thereby placed a reminder on the organ of lust, which is the source of much trouble and sin, in order that it should not be used excepting where is commandatry and permissible." (Ramban on Gen. 17:9). In this school of thought, the circumcision serves the secondary, more practical purpose of helping us males keep our untamed sexual urges under control. But Ramban also notes that the Hebrew word 'ot - "sign" -is only also used in relationship to Shabbat (Ex. 31:17) and therefore circumcision also serves to remind us of Shabbat (when marital relations are not only appropriate but encouraged; sex on Shabbat between a husband and wife is considered a double mitzvah).
It is in the Midrash where we have the most discussion on the question of "Why circumcision" and here a more straightforward approach is taken. Commenting on the seemingly redundant passage, "And the uncircumcised male" (Gen. 17:14) the sages asked, "Is there an uncircumcised female?" Apparently the ancient sages had no awareness at all of the practise of female circumcision in other cultures; it has never been practised in Judaism. Milah always meant exclusively the removal of the foreskin from the head of the penis. In answer, they respond that the sign of the covenant is performed specifically on the part of the anatomy which marks the distinction between male and female. (Genesis Rabbah 46:5).
The most satisfying answer though seems to come when the Midrash looks closely at the word 'orlah - "foreskin".
R. Huna said in Bar Kappara's name: Abraham sat and pondered: 'orlah is said here (Gen. 17:11) and 'orlah occurs in reference to a tree (Lev. 19:23); just as 'orlah in the case of the tree refers to the place where it yields fruit, so 'orlah employed in reference to man means to the member which produces offspring (fruit).
And so the sign of the covenant is not merely a mark on the body which serves to remind Jewish men of their obligation to the covenant. That function could have been accomplished in many different symbolic ways, such as a tattoo, or a piece of jewelry, or even by wearing such traditional garb as tzitzit (ritual fringes on the tallit) or kippah. But the creation of a scar around the head of the penis by removing the foreskin is an appropriate sign of God's covenant with Abraham specifically because it is an "an everlasting covenant throughout the generations" (Gen. 17:7). When a Jewish man and woman come together to procreate and produce the next generation, the seed of that next generation of Jews must pass directly through the sign of the covenant. It is an incredibly intimate sign, not only for male, but also for the female, his partner in procreation, and for their offspring from the moment of conception. At that most holy of moments, we are all reminded that it is the covenant that binds man and woman to God, and to the maintenance of a Jewish future.
DAVAR AHER
"Why should he (Avraham) not have circumcised himself at the age of 48, when he recognized his Creator? So as not to shut the door in the face of proselytes. Then why not be circumcised at the age of 85, when God spoke with him between the pieces? In order that Isaac might issue from a holy source." (Genesis Rabbah 46:2) Abraham's son and spiritual heir Isaac was not conceived until after Abraham was circumcised. Isaac was the first who was circumcised on the eighth day.
