Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 3:9

משנה: קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי נֶהֱנֶה לָעֲרֵלִים מוּתָּר בְּעָרֵילֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָסוּר בְּמוּלֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי נֶהֱנֶה לַמּוּלִים אָסוּר בְּעַרְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמוּתָּר בְּמוּלֵי אוּמּוֹת הָאוֹלֵם. שֶׁאֵין הָעָרְלָה קְרוּיָה אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי כָל־הַגּוֹיִם עֲרֵילִים וְכָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַרְלֵי לֵב. רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁשְּׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֶה בְּרִיתוֹת נִכְרְתוּ עָלֶיהָ. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁהִיא דוֹחָה שַׁבָּת הַחֲמוּרָה. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתְלָה לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה הַצַּדִּיק עָלֶיהָ מְלֹא שָׁעָה. רִבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁהִיא דוֹחָה אֶת הַנְּגָעִים. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁכָּל־הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לֹא נִקְרָא שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁמָּל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא הִיא לֹא בָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כֹּה אָמַר יי֨ אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וְלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שַׂמְתִּי. דָּבָר אַחֵר גְּדוֹלָה הַמִּילָה שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה דַּם הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יי֨ עִמָּכֶם עַל כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. MISHNAH: A qônām that I shall not enjoy from the uncircumcized, he is permitted uncircumcized Jews and forbidden circumcized peoples of the world. That I shall not enjoy from the circumcized, he is forbidden uncircumcized Jews and permitted circumcized peoples of the world, since the prepuce is simply a name for Gentiles as it was said¹⁴⁹Jer. 9:25.: “For all Gentiles are uncircumcized and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised of heart.”
Rebbi Ismael says, circumcision is great, for its covenant was concluded thirteenfold. Rebbi Yose says, circumcision is great, for it pushes aside the stringencies of the Sabbath. Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa says, circumcision is great, for it was not suspended even one hour for Moses the Just. Rebbi Neḥemiah says, Rebbi Yose says, circumcision is great, for it pushes aside skin disease¹⁵⁵The Halakhah will explain the Mishnah..
Rebbi says, circumcision is great, for with all the commandments which Abraham fulfilled he was not called whole until he circumcized himself as it is written¹⁵⁶Gen. 17:1.: “Walk before me and be perfect.”
Another word: Circumcision is great, for without it the Holy One, praise to Him, would not have created his world as it is said¹⁵⁷Jer. 33:25. In the Babli, this is mostly explained as referring to the Torah (which has to be studied day and night, Jos. 1:8) as blueprint for the world; 32a, Pesaḥim 68b; Avodah zarah3a. A similar text is in Tosephta 2:7.: “So says the Eternal, if it were not for my covenant day and night, I would not have put in place the laws of heaven and earth.” ¹⁵⁸This addition is not in the Babylonian Mishnah; it is in Tosephta 2:6. Another word: Circumcision is great, for it is weighty corresponding to all other commandments of the Torah, as it is said¹⁵⁹Ex. 24:8. This verse speaks about the Sinaitic covenant; it is used here because in rabbinic and modern Hebrew the word בְּרִית “covenant” is synonymous with “circumcision”.: “Behold the blood of the covenant which the Eternal concluded with you about all these words.”

הלכה: אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בַּר מַרְייָה. כְּתִיב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַת יי֨ בְּרִית אֵֶת אַבְרָם לֵאמוֹר וגו׳ עַד וְאֶת בְּרִיתִי אָקִים אֶת יִצְחָק וגו״ שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה בְּרִיתוֹת. HALAKHAH: Rebbi Yoḥanan bar Marya said, it is written: “On that day, the Eternal concluded a covenant with Abram as follows,” etc., up to “but my covenant I shall affirm with Isaac,” etc., thirteen covenants¹⁶⁰In Gen. 17:2–21 the word “covenant” appears 12 times. Therefore, Gen. 15:18 is added to reach the lucky number 13, the number of God’s attributes of mercy (Ex. 34:6–7) even though it speaks of a prior covenant; cf. the preceding Note..

בְּיוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל. אֲפִילוּ בְשַׁבָּת. מַה אֲנִי מְקַייֵם מְחַלְלֶיהָ מוֹת יוֹמָת. אַף בְּמִילָה. מַה אֲנִי מְקַייָם בַּשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל. חוּץ מִן הַשַּׁבָּת. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וּבַיּוֹם. אֲפִילוּ בְשַׁבָּת. בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים וּבַכְּתוּבִּים מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַשַּׁבָּת שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. בַּתּוֹרָה. דִּכְתִיב עַד אָנָה מֵאַנְתֶּם לִשְׁמוֹר מִצְווֹתַי וְתוֹרוֹתָיי. וּכְתִיב רְאוּ כִּי יי֨ נָתַן לָכֶם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. בַּנְּבִיאִים. דִּכְתִיב וַיַּמְרוּ בִי הַבָּנִים בְּחוּקּוֹתַי לֹא הָלָכוּ וגו׳. וּכְתִיב וְאֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי חִילְּלוּ מְאוֹד. בַּכְּתוּבִּים. דִּכְתִיב וְעַל הַר סִינַי יָרַדְתָּ וּכְתִיב וְאֶת שַׁבָּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם וגו׳. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֵּירִבִּי אַבּוּנָא. מִצְווֹת שַׁבָּת מָלֵא. לְהוֹדִיעָךְ שֶׁהִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל־מִצְווֹתֵיהָ שֶׁלַּתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּילָה דוֹחָה אוֹתָהּ. מָשָׁל לִשְׁנֵי מַטְרֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בָאוֹת זוֹ עַל גַּב זוֹ וְאֵין אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זוֹ גְדוֹלָה מֵחֲבֵירָתָהּ. זוֹ שֶׁהִיא יוֹרֶדֶת מִפְּנֵי חֲבֵירָתָהּ אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁחֲבֵירָתָהּ גְּדוֹלָה מִמֶּנָּהּ. “On the eighth day one shall circumcize¹⁶¹Lev. 12:2.,” even on the Sabbath. How can I confirm “its desecrator shall certainly die¹⁶²Ex. 31:14.?” Even for circumcision? How can I confirm “on the eighth day one shall circumcize”? Even on the Sabbath? The verse says “¹⁶¹Lev. 12:2.But on the eighth day one shall circumcize,” even on the Sabbath¹⁶³In the Babylonian versions [Šabbat 132a, Sifra Tazria‘ Pereq 1(4)] the argument for performing circumcision on the Sabbath is based on the expression “on the Sabbath day” and not simply “on the Sabbath”.. In Torah, Prophets, and Hagiographs we find that the Sabbath is as weighty as all other commandments of the Torah¹⁶⁴Cf. Berakhot 1:8, Note 207. The text is copied in Ex. rabba 25(16). [taken together]. In the Torah, “until when will you refuse to keep My Commandments and Teachings¹⁶⁵Ex. 15:28.,” and it is written: “See that the Eternal gave you the Sabbath¹⁶⁶Ex. 15:29. The Sabbath is called “commandments and teachings” when no other prohibitions were yet given to the Israelites..” In Prophets, as is written¹⁶⁷Ez. 20:21.: “But the sons rebelled against Me; My Laws they did not follow” etc., and it is written¹⁶⁸Ez. 20:13. In Ex. rabba the quote is instead from Ez. 20:21, where the Sabbath is the only commandment singled out of all “laws and rules”. The word מאד “much” probably should be deleted.: “My Sabbaths they much desecrated.” In Hagiographs, as it is written: “On Mount Sinai You descended¹⁶⁹Neh. 9:13.,” and it is written: “And about Your holy Sabbath You informed them¹⁷⁰Neh. 9:14; again the Sabbath is the only commandment singled out of all “commandments and laws”.,” etc. Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Abuna said, commandment of Sabbath is written plene¹⁷¹In all other occurrences in the Hebrew Bible the spelling is מִצְוֹת, only at this place it is מִצְווֹת., to inform you that it is as weighty as all other commandments of the Torah. A parable of two ladies who meet and you do not know which one is of higher standing. If one makes room for the other, you know that the other is of higher standing.

עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה קָשָׁה מִכּוּלָּם. וְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל־הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹדָה בַּר פָּזִי. חִילּוּל הַשֵּׁם קָשֶׁה מִכּוּלָּן. הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאַתֶּם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה אָמַר יי֨ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ גִּילוּלָיו לְכוּ עֲבוֹדוּ וְאֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי לֹא תְחַלְּלוּ וגו׳. Idolatry is worse than all others: “But if you should err and not fulfill all these commandments.¹⁷²Num. 15:22. The rules for purification offerings are given in Lev. 4–5. The appearance of another set of purification offerings in Num. 15:22–28 is explained by the rule that these offerings are only for expiation of inadvertent idolatry (Sifry Num. 111). The Babli, Erubin 69b, equates desecration of the Sabbath and idolatry in severity.” Rebbi Judah bar Pazi said, the desecration of the Name is worse than all others. That is what is written¹⁷³Truncated from Ez. 20:39.: “But to you, the House of Israel, so says the Eternal, Israel’s God, go and worship everybody his abominations but My holy Name do not desecrate, etc.

וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַצֵּל מֹשֶׁה בְּמִילָה בִּיקֵּשׁ הַמַלְאָךְ לְהוֹרְגוֹ. הָהוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ יי֨ וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא נִתְעַצֵּל מֹשֶׁה בְּמִילָה אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה דָן בְּעַצְמוֹ וְאוֹמֵר. אִם לָמוּל וְלָצֵאת סַכָּנָה הִיא. וְאִם לִשְׁהוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לוֹ. לֵךְ שׁוּב מִצְרַיְמָה. אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַצֵּל בְּלִינָה קוֹדֶם הַמִּילָה. הָהוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן. אָמַר רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל. חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. לֹא בִיקֵּשׁ הַמַלְאָךְ לַהֲרוֹג לְמֹשֶׁה אֶלָּא לְתִינּוֹק. בּוֹא וּרְאֶה. מִי קָרוּי חָתָן. מֹשֶׁה אוֹ הַתִּינּוֹק. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. מֹשֶׁה קָרוּי חָתָן. וְאִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. הַתִינּוֹק קָרוּי חָתָן. מָאן דָּמַר. מֹשֶׁה קָרוּי חָתָן. חָתָן. דָּמִים מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ מִיָּדָךְ. וּמָאן דָּמַר. הַתִינּוֹק קָרוּי חָתָן. חָתָן. בְּדָמִים אַתְּ עוֹמֵד לִי. וַתִּקַּח צִפּוֹרָה צֹר וַתִּכְרוֹת אֶת עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו וגו׳. רִבִּי יוּדָה וְרִבִּי נֶחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנִין. חַד אָמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁלְּמֹשֶׁה. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁלְּמַלְאָךְ. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁלְּתִינּוֹק. מָן דָּמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה. הֵילָךְ גְּזִי חוֹבָךְ. מָן דָּמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁל מַלְאָךְ. הֵילָךְ עֲבַד שְׁלִיחֻתֵּךְ. מָן דָּמַר. לְרַגְלָיו שֶׁל תִּינוֹק. נָֽגְעָה בְגוּף הַתִּינּוֹק. וַיִּרֶף מִמֶּנּוּ אָז אָֽמְרָה חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלוֹת. מִיכָּן לִשְׁתֵּי מִילוֹת. אַחַת לִפְרִיעָה וְאַחַת לְצִיצִין. Because Moses was lazy for circumcision, the angel tried to kill kim. That is what is written¹⁷⁴Ex. 4:24.: “The Eternal met him and wanted to kill him.” Rebbi Yose said, far be the thought that Moses was lazy for circumcision but he argued on his own: To perform circumcision and leave would be dangerous¹⁷⁵Acute danger to a person’s life suspends all commandments and prohibitions (except those of murder, incest and adultery, and idolatry). In practice, this means that it is forbidden to circumcize a sick baby.. To wait¹⁷⁶To wait in Midyan until the baby had recovered. In the Babli, 31b, this argument is attributed to Rebbi. The argument of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel is quoted in his name, 32a., the Holy One, praise to Him, told him: “Go, return to Egypt.” But because he was lazy in preparing for the overnight stay before circumcision; that is what is written¹⁷⁴Ex. 4:24.: “It was on the way, at the overnight stay.” Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, far be the thought that the angel wanted to kill Moses; it was the baby. Come and see, who is called ḥātān¹⁷⁷Since Ṣippora, being a Midyanite Arab, spoke Arabic, the root ختن can mean either to circumcize or to become a relative through one’s wife. Therefore, the word is appropriate both for the boy and his father.? Moses or the baby? There are Tannaïm who state that Moses is called ḥātān. There are Tannaïm who state that the baby is called ḥātān. He who said that Moses is called ḥātān: Ḥātān, blood is required from you¹⁷⁸Explanations of the expression חתן דמים.. And he said that the baby is called ḥātān: Ḥātān, in blood you are preserved for me. “Ṣippora took a flintstone and cut her son’s prepuce and touched his feet.¹⁷⁹Ex. 4:25.” Rebbi Jehudah, Rebbi Neḥemiah, and the rabbis. One said, Moses’s feet. Another said, the angel’s feet. Another said, the baby’s feet. He who said Moses’s feet: Here I cut your obligation for you. He who said, the angel’s feet: Here your mission was accomplished. He who said the baby’s feet, she touched the baby’s body. “He left off from him; then she said, a blood ḥātān for circumcisions¹⁸⁰Ex. 4:26..” From here that there are two circumcisions; one for baring the gland and one for the fibers¹⁸¹A circumcision is not valid unless the gland is exposed and the wound is smooth; cf. Babli Yebamot 71b..

יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם בַּהֶרֶת. מַה אֲנִי מְקַייֵם הִשָּׁמֵר בְּנֶגַע הַצָּרַעַת לִשְׁמוֹר מְאֹד וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וגו׳. אַף בְּמִילָה. מַה אֲנִי מְקַייֵם יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ. בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין שָׁם בַּהֶרֶת. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר. בְּשַׂר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם בַּהֶרֶת. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹנָה דְאָמַר. מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה דוֹחָה אֶת מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ כְּתוּבָה בְצִידָּהּ. נִיחָא. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵה דְאָמַר. אֵין מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה דוֹחָה לְמִצְוַת (ב)לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָֽיְתָה כְתוּבָה בְצִידָּהּ. מִכֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ כְּמִי שֶׁהִיא כְתוּבָה בְצִידָּהּ. ¹⁸²This paragraph is in Sifra Tazria‘ Pereq 1(4), Babli Šabbat 132b.“The flesh of his prepuce should be circumcized.¹⁸³Lev. 12:3.” Even if it has white skin disease¹⁸⁴Lev. 13:2–28.. How can I confirm: “Beware of skin disease to watch it carefully and to do …¹⁸⁵Deut. 24:8. The injunction to follow all instructions of the priests in matters of impure skin disease is interpreted to mean that it is forbidden to cut out the diseased part of the skin. Then if a baby is born with diseased prepuce, how could it be circumcised?”? Also at a circumcision. Then how can I confirm: “The flesh of his prepuce should be circumcized”? If there is no white skin disease? The verse says, “the flesh¹⁸⁶Since the intent is to cut the flesh, cutting the skin is only incidental and is not in the mind of the person who does the circumcision.”, even if it has white skin disease. ¹⁸⁷The disagreement between rabbis Jonah and Yose is discussed in Ḥallah 2:1, Notes 9,10. This is simple in the opinion of Rebbi Jonah, who says that a positive commandment supersedes a prohibition even if they are not written together. But in the opinion of Rebbi Yose, who says that a positive commandment supersedes a prohibition only if they are written together? Since it is written “the flesh of his prepuce,” it is as if it were written together¹⁸⁸The prohibition is irrelevant, cf. Note 186..