Eight Days



A baby is born, Mazal Tov; now the mad rush begins. Whom do you call first? Parents before siblings, siblings before friends and friends before colleagues. Every call brings new questions: what is the baby's, weight, size, eye color and, of course, gender. Is it a boy or a girl? If it's a boy, inevitably someone asks, have you called the mohel yet? "Oy, the mohel, I almost forgot!"



So, you quickly call the mohel to ask if he will be available in eight days. Nine days won't do; neither will seven. It must be eight. Why eight? Because the Torah insists that circumcision be performed on the eighth day. So, why is the Torah in such a rush?(1)



Perfection



We are born with natural instincts for self-preservation. From our earliest moments, we learn to place ourselves and our needs ahead of others. Babies are intrinsically selfish. They cry when they want to be fed, scream when they want to be held and take no interest in other people's feelings and needs.



In a baby, this attitude is cute and charming, but left unchecked, this attitude grows corrosive and quickly loses its charm. We become demanding toddlers, then selfish children and finally, self-absorbed adults. The work of purification and refinement must begin early. There really is no time to waste.



Circumcision purifies and refines. It forces us to make a sacrifice. Removing the foreskin diminishes the pleasure and enjoyment of intercourse.(2) We sacrifice such pleasure and proclaim that, on our scale, divine instruction is a greater priority than self-gratification.(3)



Males could have been created without the foreskin; yet, G-d wanted us to remove it ourselves. This was to demonstrate that just as we complete the physical appearance of our bodies, so can we perfect the contours of our personalities and the shapes of our souls.(4)



In Case of Illness



Circumcision is routinely delayed when a baby is, G-d forbid, jaundiced or otherwise ill. In explanation, Maimonides wrote, "Danger to the baby's life is the overriding consideration. The circumcision," he concluded, "can be performed later, but we can never bring back a Jewish soul."(5)



Maimonides's last comment is curious. That the circumcision must be delayed is true, the value of life overrides that of circumcision. However, the manner in which he suggests that the circumcision be performed later conveys a cavalier attitude towards the delay when it should be viewed as a tragic, though necessary, misfortune.



Universal Bond



Our sages saw circumcision as a feature of Jewish identity, a testimony that we are unique in body as we are in soul.(6)



The mystics explained that as we remove the foreskin and reveal the organ beneath, a veil is simultaneously lifted from our soul that reveals our intrinsic bond with G-d. This mark is universal to all Jews, for we all share this intrinsic bond.(7)



Discovering Light



Circumcision does not forge this bond, but rather reveals it. In this sense, circumcision is different from all other commandments. All other commandments forge new connections with G-d. Circumcision reveals our existing connection with G-d.



By way of illustration, consider a dark room that might be illuminated by one of two methods. One can either turn on a light, or remove the opaque covering from the windows and allow the plentiful sunlight to stream in from outside.



The first method creates a limited amount of light where there was only darkness before. The second method reveals an unlimited source of light that is already in place. It is necessary only to uncover the windows or, in other words, discover the light.



Circumcision works in a similar vein. While the other commandments forge new connections with G-d, and draw new Divine light into our world, circumcision reveals the intense, intrinsic bond that we already enjoy with G-d, the bond that G-d forges with all Jews at their moment of birth.(8)



If our bond with G-d were forged through circumcision, then even a one-day delay of circumcision would be catastrophic. It would mean losing a full day of Divine connectivity. In truth, however, our bond is intrinsic. We are born with it. Delaying the circumcision does not affect the bond; it only delays the date by which it is revealed.



Deeper Meaning



We can now understand that Maimonides' final comment was not cavalier toward circumcision. His earlier comment explained that protecting the baby's life is our primary consideration; his later comment explained that delay of circumcision would not affect the baby's bond with G-d.



"The circumcision," he wrote, "can be performed later, but we can never bring back a single Jewish soul." These words might be translated as follows: 'The delay of circumcision will not affect the baby's divine bond because this bond is eternal. A Jewish soul, irrespective of circumcision, can never be brought back. It can never be made to turn back, or away, from G-d.



Duty to Reveal



Yet, if the baby is healthy, the circumcision may not be delayed. This is because the purpose of Torah is to reveal the Divine presence in our midst. It is not sufficient to enjoy our Divine bond in our hearts. It is also necessary to reveal it through circumcision. Absent cases of illness, circumcision must never be delayed.(9)



Footnotes.



1) Leviticus 12: 3: "On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised."



2) Midrash Tanchumah, Tazria 5 and Sefer Hachinuch, Mitzvas Milah (the anonymous author, who identifies himself only as "a Levite from Barcelona," was a student of the Rashba, Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet, in the thirteenth century). Our sages further taught that circumcision is an offering to G-d that, like a sacrifice, atones for inherent human weaknesses (Pirkei Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 29).



3) Classical Jewish thought has long maintained this position. However, contemporary scientific studies on this matter have failed to produce conclusive evidence either way.



4) Guide for the Perplexed, v. III, ch. 29 (Maimonides, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, Egypt, 1135-1204). See also Rabbenu Bachye on Genesis 17:13 (Rabbi Bachya ben Asher, Saragossa, Spain, 1255-1340).



5) Yad HaChazakah, Hilchos Milah, ch 1: 18.



6) Guide for the Perplexed, v. III, ch. 29. See also Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvas Milah.



7) Deuteronomy 30: 6. Ezekiel 36: 26. What of female Jews who do not carry the mark of the covenant on their body? The Jewish woman is, from the Torah's perspective, a far more spiritual being than is the Jewish man. The Jewish woman need not remove a veil to uncover her intrinsic bond with G-d, for her bond has never been concealed. She is holy from birth. Yet, the Jewish woman carries her dignity and sanctity within, "The greater glory of the princess is within," (Psalms, 45: 14) and therefore does not display outward physical signs of her inner spiritual beauty.



8) Likutei Torah, Vayikra, p. 21a (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chassidus Chabad, 1745-1813).



9) Likutei Sichos, v. III, p. 979 (Rabbi Menachem M Schneerson, Rebbe of Lubavitch, New York, 1902-1994).