לקוטי שיחות חלק ל״ה - לך לך ג

Parshas Lech Lecha

1. Regarding the source of the law that circumcision overrides Shabbos, we find (in general) three derivations, two in the Talmud and one in the Mechilta:

According to Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, it is derived through a gezeirah shavah: we derive "sign," "covenant" and "generations" from "sign," "covenant" and "generations" (regarding Shabbos it is written, "for it is a sign," "for their generations, an everlasting covenant"; and regarding circumcision it is written in our parshah, "and it shall be a sign of a covenant etc.," "and at eight days old every male among you shall be circumcised, for your generations").

According to Rabbi Yochanan, it is derived from the verse "On the eighth day he shall be circumcised" — "on the day, even on Shabbos."

And in the Mechilta, on the verse "And the Children of Israel shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos," it states: "Rabbi Eliezer says: something for which a covenant was made — and which is this? This is circumcision." The commentators write that the Mechilta's intent is to the continuation of the verse, "for their generations, an everlasting covenant" — "this is circumcision, which is permitted to be performed on Shabbos."

Now, at first glance, the difference between these three derivations is: according to Rabbi Eliezer in the Mechilta, the derivation that circumcision is permitted on Shabbos is from a verse stated in the section on Shabbos; according to Rabbi Yochanan in the Gemara, the derivation is from the section on circumcision (in Parshas Tazria); while according to Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, the law is derived from a verse in our parshah (through a gezeirah shavah) — in the section of the circumcision of Avraham our father.

It may be said that from the difference in the source there also follows a difference in the definition of the law that circumcision overrides Shabbos:

According to the opinion that it is derived from the verse in Parshas Tazria ("On the eighth day he shall be circumcised"), it emerges that circumcising on Shabbos is one of the laws of circumcision (and not of the laws of Shabbos): although the prohibitions of Shabbos were already stated (and are in force), there is a special law regarding circumcision that it overrides Shabbos. According to this approach, it is implied that circumcision overriding Shabbos is in the category of dechuyah (overridden), or also hutrah (permitted) — that in relation to the fulfillment of the mitzvah of circumcision on the eighth day, the prohibition of Shabbos was permitted.

According to the Mechilta, which derives it from the verse in the section on Shabbos, it is implied that it is one of the laws of Shabbos. And it may be said that this means not only that it is a qualification in the prohibitions of Shabbos — that from the outset they were not stated where circumcision at its proper time is concerned — but that it is a fulfillment of the mitzvah of Shabbos: "And the Children of Israel shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos for their generations, an everlasting covenant" — one of the ways "to make the Shabbos" is to circumcise on Shabbos, for thereby one "keeps and makes" (the holiness of) Shabbos. This is understood simply: Shabbos is (as the verse continues) "between Me and the Children of Israel, it is a sign forever," and the fulfillment and completion of the sign and covenant of Shabbos is through the fulfillment of the sign and covenant of circumcision, which is a covenant and sign in the flesh, as it is written, "My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant."

However, according to the exposition of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, that the source of this law is the section on circumcision that was said to Avraham, it emerges that circumcising on Shabbos dates from the time of Avraham our father, before the Torah was given and before the entire section on Shabbos was stated. It may be said that, accordingly, it is not merely a law among the laws of circumcision or the laws of Shabbos, but is above the measure of Torah, and above the entire definition of Shabbos [similar to the words of our Sages, "Great is circumcision, for thirteen covenants were made over it (whereas over 'all the mitzvos of the Torah, three covenants were made')… for it overrides Shabbos"].

2. This may be explained by first noting the well-known point that the content of the mitzvah of circumcision emphasizes self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), as our Sages said on the verse "For Your sake we are killed all the day": "Is it possible for a person to be killed every day? Rather, this is circumcision." And as is explained at length in the Midrashim, the mitzvah of circumcision is like a sacrifice, and "its power is greater than that of a sacrifice, for a sacrifice is with one's money and circumcision is with one's body… and therefore it is considered for him as a binding and an offering, as if he bound himself; and it is written, 'those who make My covenant over a sacrifice.'" And so too it is explained in several places in the Zohar that when a Jew circumcises his son, it is as if he offered him as a sacrifice.

Now, the quality and power of self-sacrifice present in all Jews is an inheritance to us from our forefathers, as the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya — and in particular from Avraham our father, as is known that Avraham "opened the channel" for self-sacrifice.

This seemingly requires explanation: the self-sacrifice present in Jews is that they give their lives for the unity and sanctification of His Name, blessed be He — to fulfill the Torah and mitzvos, which were given to every Jew at the Giving of the Torah. How, then, does this come as an inheritance from Avraham, who lived before the Giving of the Torah and before the whole matter of Torah and mitzvos [as is the case with the mitzvah of circumcision itself in its plain sense: "We do not circumcise because Avraham our father, peace be upon him, circumcised himself and the members of his household, but because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us through Moshe our teacher that we circumcise"]?

The explanation of this may be said to be as follows:

The novelty of the Giving of the Torah is explained in the Midrash: before the Giving of the Torah there was a decree that the higher realms shall not descend to the lower realms and the lower realms shall not ascend to the higher realms; and at the Giving of the Torah the decree was annulled — "and I am the One Who begins," as "G‑d descended upon Mount Sinai," and afterwards, "And to Moshe He said: Ascend to G‑d." Therefore the holiness of Israel, and its strength, brought about through Torah and mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah, is entirely above what it was before the Giving of the Torah, before the annulment of the decree.

However, all the definitions of higher and lower realms are definitions that pertain to the parameters of the world; but with regard to the level that is entirely above the definition of higher and lower, it cannot be said that in relation to it there exists a decree between the higher and lower realms.

In the terminology of Chassidus: His Essence, blessed be He, is present in the higher and lower realms without any distinction at all; and just as no distinction of place can be said here, so no distinction of time between before the Giving of the Torah and after the Giving of the Torah applies. And what is explained in the Midrash, that the novelty of the Giving of the Torah is the annulment of the decree between the higher and lower realms, is in relation to, and from the standpoint of, the definitions of "higher" and "lower": within the higher and lower realms themselves the power was given at the Giving of the Torah to join them, through the Torah and mitzvos of the Jewish people.

Accordingly, it is understood regarding the Jewish people that the special holiness that came upon them at the Giving of the Torah is from the standpoint of the level of the "revelation" of the souls of Israel. For from the standpoint of the essence of the soul — in that the essence of the soul is united with Him, blessed be He, so that they are, as it were, one thing — one cannot distinguish between before the Giving of the Torah and after the Giving of the Torah: just as in relation to His Essence, blessed be He, the whole definition of the decree does not apply, so it is in relation to the essence of the Jewish people.

The novelty of the Giving of the Torah is on the level of revelation: that this matter, as it truly is from the standpoint of the essence of the Jewish people, should be felt in the faculties of the person as they are enclothed in the body in this world.

3. Accordingly, it is understood how the self-sacrifice of the Jewish people after the Giving of the Torah is an inheritance to us from our forefathers. For Avraham our father (and the Avos in general) represents the level of the essence of the Jewish people, from the standpoint of which none of the definitions of higher and lower exist; and from this level comes the power of self-sacrifice.

At the Giving of the Torah, however, the novelty was that this level of self-sacrifice is drawn down also into the realm of revelations, of higher and lower realms.

It may be said that these are the two definitions of self-sacrifice:

a) self-sacrifice as it is according to the definitions of Torah, which applies to the three transgressions regarding which we were commanded, "Be killed rather than transgress";

b) self-sacrifice in general and in all its aspects — that one always stands ready to give one's life for G‑d even when one is not obligated to do so according to Torah law; and, even more, even when according to Torah there are questions and doubts whether it is permitted to give up one's life. This self-sacrifice stems from the level of Israel that is above Torah, as our Sages say, "The thought of Israel preceded everything," even the thought of the Torah.

And this is why, according to Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, circumcision on Shabbos is derived from the verses in the section of Avraham's circumcision: for what is spoken of is this aspect of circumcision that is above the commands of the Torah, from the standpoint of which there is in every Jew the nature to give his life for the unity of His Name, blessed be He, even when he is not obligated to do so according to Torah [and this applies also to circumcision in its plain sense, as stated in the sefarim that the matter of circumcision is "to refine… Israel… and this refinement is a test and a trial whether he will give his life for the sanctification of His Name, blessed be He; and when he accustoms himself from his youth with one of his limbs, it will be easy in his eyes, also when he grows old, to give his whole life for Heaven"].

4. Now, since this aspect of circumcision — the aspect of self-sacrifice above Torah — is derived from the fact that circumcision overrides Shabbos, we must say that it finds expression also in the actual deed of the mitzvah of circumcision on Shabbos.

It may be said that this is seen in the very fact that a Jew circumcises a Jewish infant on Shabbos:

Although we are speaking of an expert mohel, and it is a remote concern that he will err in the circumcision, it is still possible that he will not complete the circumcision properly, and it will turn out that he has desecrated Shabbos, as is implied in the Gemara that this can happen even with an expert. Moreover, even when he circumcises properly, why should he involve himself in this and perform an act of desecrating Shabbos? The father, granted — it is his own mitzvah to circumcise his son on the eighth day; but another person, for whom it is not his mitzvah and who circumcises in place of the father — why should he perform an act contrary to his own keeping of Shabbos?

Rather, since the matter of circumcision on Shabbos is the revelation of the essence of Israel that is above Torah, this is emphasized also in the act of circumcision: the mohel is ready to sacrifice himself spiritually, to perform an act of desecrating Shabbos in order to circumcise the infant.

And a mohel who is not ready to sacrifice himself and circumcise on Shabbos cannot circumcise on a weekday either. For through circumcision the entry of this holy soul begins — that is, this essential bond of the Jew with the Holy One, blessed be He, which is above Torah; and this is possible if this quality is visible in the mohel who comes to circumcise the infant and bring him into the covenant of Avraham our father, peace be upon him.

5. It may be said that this matter — that from the circumcision of Avraham there came and was drawn down to Israel this aspect of circumcision that is above the definitions of Torah — is seen also in Avraham's circumcision itself:

It is stated in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer that Avraham's circumcision took place on Yom Kippur. Seemingly this requires clarification: since Avraham our father fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given, how did he circumcise himself on Yom Kippur? Circumcision not at its proper time does not override Shabbos, nor Yom Tov!

Now, according to the plain meaning there is no difficulty: since he was commanded concerning circumcision then, and "on the very day He commanded him, he circumcised," it was circumcision at its proper time, which overrides Shabbos and Yom Tov. But according to the inner dimension of the matter, it may be said that since Avraham's circumcision was on this level that is above the definitions of Torah, therefore his actual circumcision too took place in a manner that the fulfillment of the mitzvah overrode Shabbos — and even the "Shabbos of Shabbosos" of Yom Kippur.

And according to the above — that the derivation from the section of Avraham's circumcision that circumcision overrides Shabbos pertains to the essential bond of the Jew with the Holy One, blessed be He, and to the self-sacrifice that is above Torah — it is all the more fitting that Avraham's circumcision took place specifically on Yom Kippur. For this is connected with the atonement of Yom Kippur, as stated in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer there (following the derivation that Avraham was circumcised on Yom Kippur — "it is derived from 'the very [day]' and 'the very [day]' of Yom Kippur"): "And every year the Holy One, blessed be He, sees the blood of the covenant of the circumcision of Avraham our father and atones for all our sins, as it says: For on this day He shall atone for you, to purify you etc." For the true atonement of Yom Kippur is that the essence of the day atones, and its content is the revelation of the essential bond of Israel with the Holy One, blessed be He, which is above any definition of blemish (and above Torah); on this level the whole matter of sins and transgressions does not reach at all, and therefore, when this level is revealed in Israel, all the blemishes are automatically atoned, as explained elsewhere at length.

6. And this is why the three derivations mentioned above express three aspects present in circumcision:

a) That it is one of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah, except that in this itself it is greater than they are, and therefore it overrides the mitzvos of Shabbos.

b) That it is a general mitzvah, equal to all the mitzvos, and therefore it is fulfilled also on Shabbos, for it brings completion to the sign of the Holy One, blessed be He, in Israel: "Between Me and the Children of Israel, it is a sign forever"; "My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant."

c) That it is above the measure and limitation of Torah and mitzvos, pertaining to the covenant and essential bond of the Jewish people with the Holy One, blessed be He; and this bond is expressed in the circumcision of Avraham himself — "On that very day Avraham was circumcised" — that he was circumcised on Yom Kippur, the Shabbos of Shabbosos.

(From talks of the night of Simchas Torah, 5711, and Shabbos Parshas Nasso, 5741)

Key Lesson

Circumcision on Shabbos reveals the deepest level of the Jew: an essential bond with G‑d that precedes and transcends even the Torah, inherited from Avraham, who "opened the channel" of self-sacrifice. That is why a mohel must be ready to "sacrifice himself" to circumcise on Shabbos, and why Avraham's own bris fell on Yom Kippur, the day on which that same essential bond atones for every blemish. Every Jew carries this readiness for self-sacrifice within him, and the bris is where it is first planted and revealed.