English translation — לך לך ב

So circumcision is "thirteen covenants were made upon it",

its source — as the Kesef Mishneh notes — is the Mishnah "end of chapter three of Nedarim"⁷

: Great is circumcision, for thirteen covenants were made upon it.

The Rambam, however, adds to the language of the Mishnah: a)

that the thirteen covenants were made "with Avraham Avinu".

b)

He <b>specifies</b> all these thirteen covenants.

Even though that this is understandable,

because from the general principles of the Rambam is that he is copying the language of the Mishnah etc.⁸,

and as a book of "laws laws"⁹

he is

(several times)

adding and explaining in the language of the Mishnah so that the halachah should come out explained¹⁰

and clear¹¹

— nevertheless,

an explanation is required in our subject:

The source for the words of the Rambam — on "with Abraham our father" and on the detail of the thirteen covenants,

is

(at first glance)

in the Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim¹²,

the statement of Rabbi Yochanan bar Mari: "It is written 'On that day¹³

the Lord made a covenant with Abram'¹⁴

saying etc. until 'And My covenant I will establish with Isaac' etc." —

One must however understand: why does the Rambam omit the <b>first</b> verse that the Yerushalmi brings "On that day the L-rd made a covenant with Avram saying etc." and especially since the verse appears in the parsha earlier¹⁵?

Simply: the Rambam counts <b>thirteen</b> covenants in the parsha — without the verse "On that day etc." — it is understood that he holds that this verse is not included among them.

And the reason,

is as the Rambam explains in his commentary on the Mishnah¹⁶

: "And the thirteen covenants are the word 'covenant' and 'My covenant' that are repeated in the commandment of the Blessed One to Avraham our father regarding the covenant of circumcision in one single occasion by itself"¹⁷

— and these are only those which the Rambam specifies.

Not so, the verse "On that day the L-rd made a covenant with Avram saying" speaks about a covenant

(a)

that was not "in one session" with the other covenants

(further: it was with an interval of several <b>years</b>¹⁸),

and

B.

(b)

that was not related to the covenant of circumcision,

but the covenant between the parts regarding the giving of <b>the land</b>¹⁹

to the seed of Avraham²⁰.

But according to this, it is not understood on the other hand,

why the Yerushalmi indeed brings the verse "On that day the L-rd made a covenant etc."

Furthermore, the Gemara: The passage in the Yerushalmi comes to explain what the Mishnah says that regarding circumcision "thirteen covenants were made" — as is elaborated in the aforementioned passage in the Yerushalmi "thirteen covenants" — and if one also counts the verse "On that day, Hashem made a covenant etc.",

it turns out that there are not thirteen covenants,

but fourteen²¹

3.

Among the commentators there are several explanations on this:

a)

(also)

In the Yerushalmi it must stand not the verse "On that day Hashem cut etc." but the verse "And I will give My covenant"²²

as the Rambam counts; one finds however in the early authorities²³,

that they are quoting <b>from</b> the <b>Yerushalmi</b> the aforementioned version,

that the verse "On that day He cut" is counted as one

(and first)

of the thirteen covenants — and according to their explanation

b)

According to the opinion of the Yerushalmi one does not count one of the other expressions of covenant that stand in the section of circumcision

(the verse²⁴

"My covenant he has broken")²⁵,

or one counts the verse²⁶

"And I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant" as one covenant²⁷,

not like the Rambam who counts them as two covenants.

And according to this it turns out,

that the Rambam disagrees with the opinion of the Yerushalmi.

But: thus one could say,

if there were a source

(from our Sages, may their memory be blessed),

that the thirteen covenants are counted in accordance with the words of the Rambam; however, since one does not find it²⁸,

and the only source is the aforementioned Yerushalmi,

(The Bavli is silent and does not specify which are the thirteen covenants.

And it can be said that it relies on the Yerushalmi which preceded the Bavli in time — and elsewhere we will elaborate)

— it is logical,

that the Yerushalmi and the Rambam,

it is not a dispute between them,

but rather in the manner of one says one thing and the other says another thing and they do not disagree.

4.

One will understand this with the introduction of the explanation in the two last halachos in the Rambam at the end of Hilchos Milah,

and this is his language

(in the first of the two halachos)

: "Abhorrent is the foreskin with which the nations are disgraced&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

as it is said&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;

for all the nations are uncircumcised.

And great is circumcision, for Avraham Avinu was not called 'perfect' until he was circumcised, as it is said&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;

Walk before Me and be perfect, and I will give&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

My covenant between Me and you etc.&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;

And whoever violates the covenant of Avraham Avinu and leaves his foreskin or draws it forward, even though he has Torah and good deeds&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;

has no portion in the World to Come."

And afterwards,

in the following halacha: "Come and see how severe circumcision is, that it was not suspended for Moshe Rabbeinu even for one hour, even though he was on the way, and all the mitzvos of the Torah were sealed upon them with three covenants etc., and upon circumcision etc."

(as above at the beginning of section 1).

The source of the details of these two laws is the same Mishnah in Nedarim.

The Rambam, however, changes the order and also the wording in several things:

In the Mishnah, after the statement "Mausah hi haOrlah" come the statements And in order: Rabbi Yishmael says Great is circumcision that thirteen covenants were cut for it,

Rabbi Yosi says Great is circumcision that it overrides the stringent Shabbat&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;,

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha says Great is circumcision that it was not suspended for Moshe the righteous for it

(even&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;)

for one hour,

Rabbi Nechemiah says Great is circumcision that it overrides the plagues,

Rabbi says Great is circumcision that all the mitzvos that Avraham Avinu did did not call him complete until he circumcised, as it is said "Walk before Me and be perfect"&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;.

The Rambam does not bring here the two statements that "great is circumcision" that it overrides the Shabbos and overrides negaim,

one can say that he relies on what he already earlier,

in Hilchos Milah&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;,

brought as halacha: "Circumcision at its proper time overrides the Shabbos ..

and both at its proper time and not at its proper time overrides tzaraas."

One must however understand,

why he changes the order regarding the other statements: to the &lt;b&gt;first&lt;/b&gt;,

immediately after "repulsive is the orlah",

he brings the &lt;b&gt;last&lt;/b&gt; statement "great is circumcision that Avraham Avinu was not called complete etc.",

afterwards he brings as a statement in its own right from tractate &lt;b&gt;Avos&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

"Whoever breaks the covenant of Avraham Avinu etc. has no portion in the World to Come",

and only then does he set as halacha in its own right the statement in our mishnah "that it was not suspended for Moshe Rabbeinu even one hour",

and to the &lt;b&gt;end&lt;/b&gt; — the &lt;b&gt;first&lt;/b&gt; statement in the mishnah,

the virtue of circumcision that "thirteen covenants were sealed upon it"?

5.

Simply put,

that the Rambam arranges the order of the discourses — in accordance with the

(as the Rambam adopts it)

difference <b>in their content</b>,

meaning that in this there are two types of virtues,

which he divides into <b>two</b> separate halachos:

In the first halacha

(halacha 8)

the Rambam discusses the matters of circumcision which are related to the person — and this type includes the negation — that which "the foreskin is repulsive <b>by which</b> <b>the nations</b> <b>are disgraced</b>",

and the obligation — "great is circumcision, for Abraham our father was not called <b>whole</b> until he circumcised etc."; and therefore he brings subsequently to this also the statement from Pirkei Avos "whoever violates his covenant etc. has no portion in the World to Come",

which is regarding the person.

In the second halachah

(halachah 9)

the Rambam speaks about the matters concerning the action and object of

(the commandment of)

circumcision,

and therefore he brings the other statements of Chazal: "that they did not suspend for Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, even one hour"

(a matter in negation),

and "all commandments of the Torah, three covenants were made upon them, etc., and upon circumcision thirteen covenants were made with Avraham Avinu"

(a matter in obligation).

It is, however, not understood,

what the Rambam changes: a)

In the Mishnah the wording is "great is circumcision" regarding both matters: "&lt;b&gt;great&lt;/b&gt; is circumcision that thirteen covenants were made upon it",

"&lt;b&gt;great&lt;/b&gt; is circumcision that they did not suspend for Moshe, etc."

— The Rambam in the first halachah says

(like the wording of the Mishnah)

"&lt;b&gt;great&lt;/b&gt; is circumcision that Avraham Avinu was not called complete until he circumcised, etc.",

but in the second halachah he &lt;b&gt;changes&lt;/b&gt; from the wording of the Mishnah "great" and says "come and see how &lt;b&gt;severe&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;

circumcision is, that they did not suspend for Moshe, etc."&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;,

and in continuation to this he says

(with a vav of addition)

"&lt;b&gt;and&lt;/b&gt; all commandments of the Torah, etc." which from the plain sense of his wording it implies that the word "severe" also refers to the second matter,

that upon circumcision "thirteen covenants were made" —

Also required is explanation: b)

In the Mishnah it only says "Great is circumcision that thirteen covenants were cut upon it," not mentioning the advantage of circumcision over all the commandments of the Torah,

which the matter is brought in the Gemara elsewhere

(in Tractate Berachot⁴¹)

: "One must precede the covenant to the Torah, that this was given with three covenants and that was given with thirteen covenants."

c)

The Rambam does not bring this with the language

(in the manner of the language of the Gemara)

"All the Torah

(the whole)

were cut upon it

(was given with)

three covenants"

when he brings the aforementioned statement in Berachot],

rather he says: "All the commandments of the Torah were cut upon them etc."

6.

And one can say the explanation in this:

In Bris Milah there are two matters^42*

: a)

the general matter of Bris,

b)

Bris as a particular mitzvah.

&lt;b&gt;And on this way&lt;/b&gt; as we find in several mitzvos,

for example regarding the mitzvah of prayer: the matter of the service of prayer — that which we learn⁴³

from "to serve Him with all your hearts"⁴⁴,

"And you shall serve the L-rd your G-d"⁴⁵

— is "from the inclusive commandments"⁴⁶

; in this, however, there is also a particular matter,

which is the commandment for prayer

(in speech).

although he writes in the principles⁴⁷

that "it is not proper to count the inclusive commandments of the entire Torah",

like prayer,

but one counts it because

(as the Rambam says)

"there is⁴⁶

in it another particularity that it is a commandment for prayer"].

And likewise regarding the matter of teshuvah: There is the concept

(general)

of teshuvah — regret over the past and acceptance for the future,

which is among the inclusive commandments and is connected with acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven

(therefore it is not counted in the enumeration of the commandments)

; and there is the particular concept of teshuvah,

which consists of &lt;b&gt;viduy&lt;/b&gt; of words

(and this is &lt;b&gt;counted&lt;/b&gt; in the Rambam in the enumeration of the commandments&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;).

And it is understood,

that when fulfilling the particular concept of prayer

( — in speech)

or teshuvah

( — in viduy of words)

one has not only the particular aspect of this but also the &lt;b&gt;general&lt;/b&gt; concept of prayer and teshuvah,

which encompasses the entire Torah.

regarding this

(and further)

is regarding circumcision: it is a particular commandment,

one of the 613 commandments; circumcision is however also a general matter,

covenant of Jews <b>in all</b> their limbs etc. <b>and in all</b> their matters etc. with the Supreme One; in another style: it is the covenant and completion of the holiness of Israel⁴⁹

in every Jew.

as the definition of <b>conversion</b>,

with it he enters into the holiness of Israel; and circumcision as the fulfillment of the particular commandment of circumcision,

as the Rogatchover explains it⁵⁰].

7.

And these are the two halachos in Rambam:

In the first halacha

(halacha 8)

the Rambam speaks about the general matter,

the general content of Bris Milah,

as it is connected with the definition

(holiness of)

Israel; and in the second halacha

(halacha 9)

the discussion is about the particular mitzvah,

the particular definition of Bris Milah.

Therefore the Rambam says in the first halachah: "Despicable is the orlah &lt;b&gt;with which&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;the nations&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;are disgraced&lt;/b&gt;, as it is said, for &lt;b&gt;all&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;the nations&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;are uncircumcised&lt;/b&gt;",

with which he means not only to emphasize the loathsomeness and disgrace of orlah but

(mainly),

that in this consists the difference between nations and the children of Israel — that "orlah" is a thing "with which &lt;b&gt;the nations&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;are disgraced&lt;/b&gt;",

and the function of milah is that this creates the perfection in Israel and the bond of the covenant of Jews with the Most High.

And this is explained in that which the Rambam says afterwards: "Great is milah that Avraham Avinu was not called perfect until he circumcised, as it is said, 'Walk before Me and be perfect, and I will give My covenant between Me and you, etc.'": The perfection of Israel,

the covenant with the Most High,

is specifically through milah.

And therefore the Rambam continues in the halachah and brings the statement from Avot "Whoever breaks the covenant of Avraham Avinu, etc. &lt;b&gt;even though he has Torah and good deeds, he has no portion in the World to Come"&lt;/b&gt;,

where one sees in a most conspicuous manner,

how much the covenant of milah is connected with the very&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;

definition

(holiness of)

Israel&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;.

In the second halachah, the Rambam speaks about milah as a particular mitzvah,

that even as a particular mitzvah it has in itself an additional virtue relative to all other mitzvot.

And this is what the Rambam emphasizes in the change of his language immediately at the beginning of the halachah: "Come and see how &lt;b&gt;severe&lt;/b&gt; milah is" — not "&lt;b&gt;great&lt;/b&gt; is milah" as he says in the previous halachah

(and as the language of the Mishnah as above)

Because here the Rambam speaks about the severity

(in punishment and the like and nothing more)

of milah,

milah as a particular mitzvah

(and for this the language "severe" fits)

— and in this he brings the two matters: that [milah] was not suspended for Moshe Rabbeinu even for one hour even though he was on the way,

which shows the great strictness of the mitzvah of milah; and another matter in which one sees how much "&lt;b&gt;severe&lt;/b&gt; is milah" relative to other mitzvot — "&lt;b&gt;And all&lt;/b&gt; &lt;b&gt;mitzvot&lt;/b&gt; of the Torah, three covenants were made upon them, etc., and upon milah thirteen covenants were made."

That is,

that here he does not speak about the virtue of milah regarding the totality of the Torah,

but regarding each mitzvah

(in itself)

of all the mitzvot of the Torah,

that each one of them "three covenants were made",

and "upon milah thirteen covenants were made"&lt;sup&gt;53&lt;/sup&gt;.

But not so in the Mishnah,

where the wording is "&lt;b&gt;Great&lt;/b&gt; is circumcision, for thirteen covenants were cut upon it",

(Great — in the manner of great which includes everywhere: according to its matter in years, in wisdom, in fear of Heaven, in giants&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;,

until in the manner of great is God)

thereby is meant the &lt;b&gt;general&lt;/b&gt; concept of circumcision — how circumcision is a general concept in the entire Torah and commandments.

That is why it is "great"

(from &lt;b&gt;all&lt;/b&gt; of the Torah and commandments)

by virtue of that "thirteen covenants were cut upon it"&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;

(But not so &lt;b&gt;all&lt;/b&gt; of the Torah etc.,

upon which there were only three covenants).

8.

Based on this one will understand the difference between the Rambam and the Yerushalmi,

that the Rambam does not bring the earlier verse "On that day God cut a covenant with Avram, saying",

although it is brought in the Yerushalmi:

In the Yerushalmi the maamar comes like a commentary and explanation on the words of the Mishnah "&lt;b&gt;Great&lt;/b&gt; is circumcision that thirteen covenants were cut upon it,"

namely the quality and "greatness" of circumcision as a general covenant,

which is connected with the definition

(holiness of)

Israel in general — and to &lt;b&gt;this&lt;/b&gt; matter also applies the verse "On that day the L-rd cut a covenant with Avram saying."

The reasoning in this: although the general covenant with the Most High,

comes into actuality through the particular covenant,

through the fulfillment of the particular commandment of circumcision — "My covenant in your flesh for an everlasting covenant"

(in the manner mentioned above regarding prayer and repentance)

— nevertheless the general covenant exists in every Jew,

also in a case when he

(due to a reason according to Torah)

was not able to fulfill the commandment of circumcision in actuality.

As the Mishnah says in Nedarim: Konam that I do not benefit from the uncircumcised is permitted with uncircumcised of Israel and forbidden with circumcised of idolaters; that I do not benefit from the circumcised is forbidden with uncircumcised of Israel and permitted with circumcised of idolaters, for the foreskin is called only after the name of idolaters, as it is said "For all the nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart."

And it is explained with this why the Mishnah brings <b>the</b> statement as an introduction to the subsequent statements "The foreskin is repulsive, etc. Great is circumcision that for its sake etc." — to hint,

that the general covenant is essentially present in every Jew,

only the completion of the matter,

in actuality and in revelation,

is effected through the fulfillment of the covenant of circumcision "in your flesh"⁵⁶.

And one can say the reason for this,

because so it was with the first Jew,

Abraham our father: the "general covenant" between the Most High and Abraham our father was <b>not</b> at the time and through the covenant of <b>circumcision</b>,

but many years before that — in the Covenant Between the Parts,

"The Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, etc.",

and this was a covenant with Abram <b>and his seed</b> after him; only afterwards,

many and many years later,

was the command from the Most High to Abraham that this covenant must be established "in your flesh"

(through the commandment of circumcision).

And therefore it is also so בָּא זַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו: the general covenant between a Jew and the Almighty is always enduring,

immediately when born,

also when his brothers died because of circumcision and therefore לֹא מָל&lt;sup&gt;57&lt;/sup&gt;,

just as he is born he is in the holiness of Israel.

And accordingly it is understandable,

that the thirteen covenants that the Rambam enumerates are in their content the same as the thirteen covenants which are enumerated in the Yerushalmi,

only the Yerushalmi &lt;b&gt;precedes&lt;/b&gt;

(&lt;b&gt;introduction&lt;/b&gt; to the matter — and does not enter into the count that is in the matter)

the verse "On that day the L-rd made a covenant with Avram saying etc.",

because it speaks earlier about circumcision as a general covenant,

d.

h.

as that which נִכְרְתוּ עָלֶיהָ thirteen covenants emphasizes that circumcision is a general covenant between a Jew and the Almighty — therefore he brings as &lt;b&gt;introduction&lt;/b&gt; to this the verse that speaks about the general covenant.

The Rambam, however, comes in the second halacha to say that also milah as a particular mitzvah is "more stringent" than all the mitzvos of the Torah,

as above.

Therefore, the verse "On that day, Hashem made a covenant with Avram, saying" has no place here,

which speaks about the general covenant

(although that too is present in milah),

rather he begins from the verse "And I will give My covenant" until the verse "And I will establish My covenant with Yitzchak",

thirteen covenants, all of which were said "in one utterance",

regarding the particular covenant,

as above.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Nasso and the second day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos 5744)