It’s Really Absurd

More than the Jews have kept the Mitzvot, the Mitzvot have kept the Jew!
– A wise person

One of the Mitzvot that Jews have observed even when they weren’t observing other Mitzvot is the Mitzvah of Bris Milah – Circumcision. Often times even at great sacrifice and risk to themselves eg. click here.

Why indeed is this Mitzvah something that until today, Jews who may not keep kosher, Shabbat or go to shul will still make sure to have their children brissed?

The answer lies in the word Bris. Often it is translated as circumcision. A circumcision is a medical procedure and when is the last time you saw bagels, cream cheese and lox in the operating room?!

In fact the word Bris means Covenant. And the absurdity of the covenant is why Jews have kept the Mitzvah despite all.

The Covenant of the Bris is the covenant that Hashem made with Abraham. Usual partnerships have a premise upon which they are founded. When the premise is altered or eliminated the partnership can likely dissolve. Even marriage which is about love and commitments has lines that if violated and destroy the partnership of marriage.

Hashem’s covenants with our forefather was a supra-rational covenant. G-d said that no matter what you will do, I will remain your G-d, I will never abandon you. Abraham from his part made the same commitment to G-d. No matter what will befall the Jewish People, we will remain committed to G-d and Torah.

The proof is in the pudding. If you look at the partnership/covenant it is now 3,800+ years and going strong! What other partnership has lasted that long?

Consciously or subconsciously there are certain fundamentals that lie in the soul of every Jew and one of them is our inherent essential connection to Hashem. No matter what will occur we remain His people. The Bris is the demonstration of our commitment to the covenant – the covenant in the flesh.

Have a great Shabbos!