Devar/5771/Vayera
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And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him (Gen 21:4)
In the previous portion, And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. likewise And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. (Gen 17:24,25). All of this because He, may He be blessed, said, every male among you shall be circumcised (ibid 10).
Even though Abraham our father was commanded regarding circumcision, and despite that it is "the covenant of Abraham our father", which God established with Abraham and his offspring after him -- we Jews do not circumcise because of this first command. Rather we received another commandment at Sinai to circumcise our sons: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (Lev 12:3). Our Sages of blessed memory said, the Torah was given, and the Law was renewed (Laws of Mourning 1:1) -- and likewise, all the deeds of our ancestors are simply support for our own deeds, but we do not establish the Law according to them.
Nevertheless, one may learn from our forefathers' deeds. Abraham our father of blessed memory, did not hesitate in the slightest after he was commanded to circumcise, rather he ran to fulfill God's desire. And when a son was born to him in the fullness of time, he circumcised him precisely as God had commanded him. So do we, Abraham's offspring, need to behave. And what of Abraham's sons? The one, our father Isaac, grew to be a wholehearted and quiet man. In contrast, his brother Ishmael -- father of the Arabs -- became a "wild ass of a man", violent and "his hand against every man". Perhaps he was resentful of being circumcised at thirteen years of age? And like him, his offspring after him through the generations.
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