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Fair Making the cut, spritually
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This week’s Torah reading Lech Lecha from the Book of Genesis contains the first divine commandment, Brit Milah, the Circumcision, that was mandated for observance exclusively to Jews. This mandate given to Abraham has within it several factors that are unique. According to Rabbi Dr. Alex Israel in his essay, “Two Covenants” [alexisrael.org] this unique feature is broken down into several components. |
1. In Brit Mila, the vision is initiated by G-d Himself. G-d appears to Abraham without any prompt.
2. The Brit Mila vision is a straight verbal Nevua. No hidden symbolic visions.
3. In this covenant, Abraham is an ACTIVE partner to the covenant. He has to circumcise himself and his household.
4. More than that — in this covenant, Abraham is transformed! He emerges with a new name and he transforms his very flesh in the form of his circumcision.
5. Not only Abraham, but Sarah is included physically, now being able to conceive.
6. G-d’s name: Elokim, rather than Hashem.
7. Rather than promises for the long term future of the Jewish people, Abraham here receives the news that he will have his long-awaited son and heir. This promise will be fulfilled within a year.
On the downside to the optimism expressed above, we have witnessed these past years an ever growing controversy concerning Metzitza Bapeh. To this, we have some history.
During our travails in the middles ages Jews had to contend with numerous theological attacks upon our observance of Brit Milah. These attacks are to be found within the context of a broad based theological attack upon the very existence and legitimacy of Judaism.
Of particular focus was the Church’s intense concern about Metzitzah Bepeh. In a very well researched work by Dr. Irvin Resnick, professor of philosophy and religion at the University of Tennessee, titled “Marks of Distinction: Christian Perceptions of Jews in the High Middle Ages,” a detailed chronology is given front row prominence concerning the Church’s rabid antipathy toward Brit Milah. Consider the following citation:
