Midrasch zu Bereschit 17:1

R. Zutra b. Tubia in the name of Rab said: "With ten things the world was created: Wisdom and understanding; knowledge and strength; rebuke and might; righteousness and justice; mercy and compassion." That it was created with wisdom and understanding we infer from the following passage (Ib. 3, 19) The Lord hath through wisdom founded the earth; He hath established the heavens through understanding. But how will the two passages [of width and height] he explained? The height and the width hold the same measure. By knowledge, as it is written (Ib. 13, 20) By his knowledge were the depths split; by power and strength, as it is written (Ps. 65, 7) Who setteth firmly the mountains with His power, who is girded with might; by rebuke, as it is written (Job 26, 11) The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astounded at His rebuke; by righteousness and Justice, as it is written (Ps. 89, 15) Righteousness and Justice are the prop of Thy throne; by mercy and compassion, as it is written (Ib. 25, 6) Remember Thy mercies, O Lord, and Thy kindness; for they are from everlasting. R Juda in the name of Rab said: "When the Holy One, praised be He! created the world, it went spreading on like two clews of shoot and warp, until the Holy One, praised be He! rebuked it and brought it to a standstill, as it is said (Job 26, 11) The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at His rebuke." And this is also the interpretation of Resh Lakish: "What is the meaning of the passage (Gen. 17, 1) I am the Almighty God (Shadye). This means: "I, who said to My world, Dye (enough)." Resh Lakish said again: "When the Holy One, praised be He! created the sea, it went spreading on, until the Holy One, praised be He! rebuked it and made it dry, as it is said (Nah. 1, 4) He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry; and all the rivers He dried up."

Furthermore, Scripture states: For the Lord (be-Yah) the Lord is an everlasting rock (ibid. 26:4). What is meant by zur ‘olamim (“everlasting rock”)? This verse informs us that all the worlds are considered as nothing in His sight, for with only half His name He created the world.¹In the quotation from Isaiah, “the Lord” is be-Yah, a form which utilizes only the first two letters (yod and heh) of the more usual four-letter form of God’s Name. Indeed the worlds would have continued to expand without end had He not said enough, as it is written: I am God, Shaddai (Gen. 17:1).²God created many other worlds before He created our world (Bereshit Rabbah 3:7, 9:2. What is signified by the word Shaddai? That I said to the world, dai (“enough”)!³The word dai (“enough”) is the last syllable of Shaddai. It indicates that the world was expanding and He found it necessary to halt the expansion. Hence, it is said: O Lord my God, Thou art very great.

(Fol. 31b) MISHNAH: R. Elazar b. Azariah says: "Circumcision is so great that thirteen covenants were made concerning it." R. Joshua b. Karcha says: "Circumcision is so important, that even Moses the righteous was not permitted to postpone the circumcision [of his child] for a minute." R. Nechemia said: "Circumcision is so important that it supersedes Nega'im." R. Mayer said: "Circumcision is so great that for all the commandments which Abraham our patriarch observed he was not called perfect until he performed circumcision upon himself, as it is said (Gen. 17, 1) Walk before Me and be thou perfect." There is another reason why circumcision is so important, because if not for this the Holy One, praised be He! would not have created His world, as it is said (Jer. 33, 25) If my covenant be not with day and night, I would not have appointed the ordinances of Heaven and Earth.

R. Simlai lectured: "Six hundred and thirteen commands were spoken to Moses; three hundred and sixty-five of them negatives, corresponding to the number of days in the year counting according to the solar system, and two hundred and forty-eight positives, corresponding to the members of a human body." Said R. Hamnuna: "Where is the passage to prove this? (Deut. 33, 4) The Torah which Moses commanded us. The numerical value of the word Torah amounts to six hundred and eleven. (Fol. 24) I am; and, Thou shalt have no [of the first two commandments], we heard from the Almighty Himself. David, however, came and reduced their number to eleven, as it is written (Ps. 15, 2-5) A Psalm of David, Lord, we shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart, etc., i.e., He that walketh uprightly, refers to Abraham, concernnig whom such an expression is written (Gen. 17, 1) Walk before Me, and be upright. Worketh righteously, refers to a man like Aba Chelkia.' And speaketh the truth refers to man like Rabbi Saphra. Nor doeth evil to his fellows, i.e., who takes care not to compete with his neighbor's business. That hath no slander upon his tongue, refers to our father Jacob, concerning whom it is written (Gen. 27, 12) My father peradventure will feel me. Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor, refers to one who befriends his relatives. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, refers to Hezekiah, King of Judea, who caused his father's bones to be carried on a bed of ropes. But he honoreth them that fear the Lord, refers to Jehoshaphath, King of Judea, who upon seeing a scholar, would rise from his throne, kiss him, and call him, my father, my master, my teacher, my master, my master. But that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not; this refers to R. Jochanan, who said: 'If one says I will fast until I will come home.' He that putteth not out his money on interest, i.e., not even from an idolater. Nor taketh no bribe, refers to men like R. Ismael b. Jose. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. When R. Gamaliel would come to this passage, he used to weep, saying: "Only one who performed all these shall not be moved, but [if he performs merely] one of them, he might be moved;" whereupon R. Akiba said to him: "According to your opinion then how would you explain the passage (Lev. 18, 24) Defile not ye yourselves in all of those things. Do you mean to say that only if in all of these things, but not one?" You must therefore say that it means to any of these things. The same could also be explained. Isaiah then came and reduced them (the six hundred and thirteen commands) to six as it is said (33, 15) He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes; that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking on evil. He that walketh righteously, refers to Abraham, of whom it is written (Gen. 18, 19) For I have known him, to do righteousness and justice, etc. Speaketh uprightly, refers to him who does not anger his colleague in public. And he despiseth the gain of oppressions, refers to R. Ismael b. Elisha. That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, refers to R. Ishmael b. Jose. That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, refers to R. Elazar b. Simon. And shutteth his eyes from looking on evil, as R. Chiya b. Aba explained this to refer to one "who does not look upon women washing near the bank of the river." When Michah [the prophet] came he reduced them to three (6, 8) It hath been told thee, o man, what is good; and what the Lord doth require of thee: (only) to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. To do justly, refers to the law; love mercy, refers to loving kindness; and walk humbly, providing for the marriage of poor maidens and the burial of the dead. Is this not an a fortiori conclusion! If concerning matters which are not to be performed in secrecy, the Torah says to walk humbly, how much more so should this be applied to matters which are accustomed to be done in secrecy! Isaiah finally reduced them to two, as it is said (56, 1) Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness. Amos then came and reduced them to one, as it is said (Amos 5, 4) For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel: Seek ye Me, and live. R. Nachman b. Isaac raised the following objection: Perhaps he means by Seek ye Me, to perform the entire Torah? We must therefore say that it was Habakkuk [the prophet] who came and reduced them to one (2, 4) But the righteous shall live by his faith.

We are taught Rabbi says: "Circumcision is so important that although there is no one greater in meritorious deeds than Abraham our patriarch, nevertheless he was not called perfect but through the act of circumcision, as it is said (Ex. 17, 1) Walk before Me, and be thou perfect, and again it is written. And I will make My covenant between Me and thee. Another reason may be given why circumicision is so important, because it equals in importance all commandments of the Torah. as it is said (Ex. 34, 27) For after the tenor of these words have I made with thee a covenant and with Israel. Another reason may be given why circumcision is so important, because if not for circumcision heaven and earth would not have been in existence, as it is said (Jer. 33, 25) Had My Covenant not been by day and night, I should not have appointed the heaven and earth." This differs with the opinion of R. Elazar, for R. Elazar said: "Torah is so important that if not for the Torah, heaven and earth would not have been in existence, as it is said, Had My covenant not been by day and night," etc. R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "At the time when the Holy One, praised be He! said: Walk before Me and be thou perfect, Abraham began to tremble and said, 'Perhaps there is something disgraceful within me.' But as soon as God said to him (Ib., ib., 2) And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, he immediately calmed himself (Ib., ib., 15, 5) And he brought me forth abroad. Abraham said before him: "Sovereign of the Universe, 'I have consulted my horoscope and have found that I am incapable of having a son except the one Ishmael." Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! said unto him: "Cease thy esterylogical speculation, for Israel stands not under planatory influence."

R. Isaac said: "Whoever desires to perfect himself, the Holy One, praised be He! deals with him in perfectness, as it is said (II Sam. 22, 26) With the kind Thou wilt show Thyself kind," etc. R. Oshiya says: "Whoever desires to perfect himself, the time will give way for him, as it is said, Walk before Me and be perfect. And again it is written further, For the father of multitudes of nations have I made thee."

Noah walked with God. The Holy One, blessed be He, supported Noah lest he sink to the level of the generation of the flood. For example, if a king’s son starts out on a journey as his father’s emissary, and is forced to travel upon a road thick with mud, the king supports him along the road lest he sink into the mire. However, with reference to Abraham, it is written: Walk before Me, etc. (Gen. 17:1), and concerning the patriarchs, it is said: The God before whom my fathers walked (ibid. 48:15). They preceded the Shekhinah, in order to fulfill His will.

G-d called the dry land "Earth" (<li>Eretz</li>). Why was it called Earth? Because it wanted (<li>ratztah</li>) to do the will (<li>ratzon</li>) of its Creator. R Natan in the name of R Acha, and R Berechiah in the name of R Yitzchak, stated: (Bereishis 17:1) I am Almighty G-d. I am the One who told the heavens and earth, "Enough!" Because if not, they would have continued growing until now. And to the gathering of water, he called seas. R Yose the son of R Chalafta said, isn't it one sea? What does it teach by saying seas? That the taste of fish is different when fished at Akko, Tzidon and Aspamia.

And in those days, in the ninety-first year of Abram’s life, the sons of Kittim, waged war ‎against the sons of Tubal. For at the time when the Lord dispersed the sons of man over the ‎face of the earth, the sons of Kittim became a society and they went forth into the vale of ‎Kanphia, and they built there cities for themselves and they dwelt by the river Thiberu. And ‎the sons of Tubal dwelt in Tushkanah, and their boundary was by the river Pashiah. And the ‎sons of Tubal built unto themselves a city in Tushkanah and they called the city Sachinah, after ‎Sachinah, the son of Tubal, their father, and they dwelt therein to this day. And at that time ‎the war broke out between the sons of Kittim and the sons of Tubal, and the sons of Tubal ‎were humbled before the sons of Kittim and they slew of them three hundred and seventy ‎men. And the sons of Tubal swore concerning the sons of Kittim saying: They shall never ‎intermarry with us, and none of our men shall ever give his daughter to the sons of Kittim. And ‎all the daughters of Tubal were very fair maidens in those days, for there were not found at ‎that time beauties like the daughters of Tubal in all the lands, and whosoever wanted a good ‎looking wife in those days would go and select one of the daughters of Tubal. And all the kings ‎and princes got their wives among them, for they were exceedingly beautiful. And three years ‎after the sons of Tubal had sworn not to give their daughters for wives to the sons of Kittim, ‎twenty men of the Kittites went to procure their wives from among the daughters of the ‎Tubalites, but they found none. For the sons of Tubal were faithful to their oaths not to ‎intermarry with the sons of Kittim, and they would not break their vows. And it was at that ‎time of the harvest, when the Tubalites were busy in gathering their grain, that many of the ‎young men of the Kittites assembled and went up into the city of Sachinah, and each of them ‎seized for himself one of their daughters and they carried them all to their own cities. And ‎when the Tubalites heard of what was done unto their daughters they assembled all to go up ‎and fight the Kittites, but they could not succeed; for the Kittites were surrounded by high ‎mountains. And the Tubalites, seeing that they were powerless returned unto their land. And ‎after the year had passed the sons of Tubal hired for themselves from the people of the cities ‎around them about ten thousand men, and they went forth against the sons of Kittim to fight ‎with them, to destroy their country and bring them to grief. And this time the Tubalites were ‎stronger, and when the Kittites saw their own great danger, they took all the children that ‎were born unto them by the daughters of the Tubalites, and they suspended them around the ‎walls of the city which they had built, before the eyes of the sons of Tubal. And the Kittites ‎called unto them, saying: Have you come to make war against the children of your sons and ‎against your daughters, and are we not of your own bone and flesh from the time we took ‎your daughters to this very day? And the Tubalites hearing these words abandoned their ‎warfare against the Kittites, and they returned unto their own cities. And the Kittites ‎assembled at that time and built unto themselves two cities, and the called the name of one ‎Irtoh, and the name of the second they called Arzoh. ‎

And Abram, the son of Terah was ninety-nine years of age in those days. And the Lord ‎appeared unto Abram at that time, and said unto him: I will set my covenant between me and ‎thee and I will greatly multiply thy seed. And this shall be the covenant between me and thee, ‎that every male shall be circumcised, thou as well as all thy seed after thee. At the age of eight ‎days they shall be circumcised, and they shall have my covenant in their flesh for an everlasting ‎covenant. And now thy name shall not be any more Abram but Abraham, and thy wife likewise ‎shall no more be called Sarai but Sarah shall be her name; for I will surely bless thee and I will ‎increase thy seed after thee and thou shalt be a great nation and kings shall come forth from ‎thee. And Abraham did according to the commandment of the Lord, and he took all those of ‎his household as well as those he bought for money, and he circumcised them as the Lord had ‎commanded him; and there was not among them one which hath not been circumcised not ‎excepting even Abraham and Ishmael his son. And Ishmael was thirteen years old at the time ‎of his circumcision. And on the third day Abraham went forth from his tent and seated himself ‎before the door of the tent, to warm himself in the sunbeams while he was in pain.‎

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine (Gen. 17:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a man is permitted to heal a wound on the Sabbath? Thus did our masters teach us: Whenever life is endangered, the Sabbath is superseded. For example, circumcision and its healing supersede the Sabbath.²³Yoma 73a; Buber Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha 21. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah, Ha’azinu—One may heal an earache on the Sabbath.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham: Walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted (Gen. 17:1), Abraham began to wonder. He said to himself: “Surely, until now I have been whole in body, but if I circumcise myself I shall be incomplete. There are five prepuces, four in a man and one on a tree. The prepuce of the ear, as it is written: Behold, their ear is uncircumcised (Jer. 6:10); the prepuce of the heart, as it is written: Remove the obduracy of your heart (Deut. 10:16); the prepuce of the tongue, as it is said: Of uncircumcised lips (Exod. 6:12); the prepuce of the flesh, as it is written in this verse: Ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin (Gen. 17:1). If I should circumcise any one of these prepuces, my organs will be incomplete.” The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him: “Why do you believe that you are whole? In fact you lack five limbs. Before you were circumcised, your name was Abram: The alef in your name is one, the bet two, the resh two hundred, and the mem forty, and that totals two hundred and forty-three. However, Man’s limbs total two hundred and forty-eight. Circumcise yourself and you will be whole.” After he was circumcised, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Him: No longer is your name Abram; henceforth it will be Abraham (ibid., v. 5). He added a heh, which equals five, to his name, making a total of two hundred forty-eight, corresponding to the number of limbs in the human body. Hence Scripture says: Be thou whole.

Walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted (Gen. 17:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: As for God, His way is whole (Ps. 18:31). What is the meaning of His way is whole? It signifies that the Holy One, blessed be He, cherished the precept of circumcision. R. Ishmael stated: The rite of circumcision is so important that thirteen covenants were issued because of it. They are stated explicitly in the verses (of this section of the Torah).

And when Abraham was ninety years old and nine (Gen. 17:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: Thou art fairer than the children of man; grace is poured upon thy lips; therefore, God hath blessed thee forever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, thy glory and thy majesty (Ps. 45:3–4). Concerning whom did Korah’s sons sing this song? They sang it about Abraham, the fairest of Adam’s descendants. Who were the descendants of Adam? They were: Seth, Cain, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuseleth, Lamech, Noah, and his sons. Whence do we know that Noah’s sons were called the sons of Adam? It is said: And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of Adam builded (Gen. 11:5).

...

(Gen. 17:1:) WHEN ABRAM WAS NINETY < -NINE > YEARS OLD…. Let our master instruct us: Is it correct that one is permitted to heal on the Sabbath?⁹³Tanh., Gen. 3:16; Deut. 10:1. Thus have our masters taught (in Yoma 8:6.): WHERE LIFE IS IN DOUBT, IT OVERRIDES THE SABBATH; but if it is doubtful whether one is recovering or not recovering, one does not override < it >. For the sake of circumcision, however, one does override the Sabbath. R. Jose said: Come and see how dear circumcision is to the Holy One. When he told Abraham that he should be circumcised, it was hard on him. He said: If I circumcise < myself > now, I am lacking one member ('BR). The Holy One said to him: Before you circumcise yourself, [your name is Abram 'BRM] and the numerical value of its letters is 243. Now, since a person has 248 members, it is evident that you are lacking five members.⁹⁴Cf. Ned. 32b. But when you circumcise yourself, you are whole. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, how so? He said to him (in Gen. 17:5): YOUR NAME SHALL NO LONGER BE CALLED ABRAM, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM ('BRHM),⁹⁵The extra letter accounts for the other five members. and you shall become whole.

(Gen. 17:1:) WHEN ABRAHAM WAS. This text is related (to Hos. 9:10): I HAVE FOUND {YOUR ANCESTORS} [ISRAEL] LIKE GRAPES IN THE DESERT; [I HAVE SEEN YOUR ANCESTORS LIKE EARLY FIGS ON A FIG TREE IN ITS FIRST SEASON]. < The text > speaks about Israel. When it stood at Mount Sinai, it resembled grapes. Just as grapes are beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside, so was Israel when it stood at Mount Sinai and responded (according to Exod. 24:7): WE WILL DO AND OBEY. Note that < the response was > with their mouth, but their heart was not steadfast. Thus David has said (in Ps. 78:36-37): YET THEY DECEIVED HIM WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND WITH THEIR TONGUE THEY LIED TO HIM, FOR THEIR HEART WAS NOT STEADFAST WITH HIM. See, < they were > LIKE GRAPES IN THE DESERT. Just as the grapes have food and drink within them, so Israel has within itself children of Torah (i.e., scholars) and has within itself children of action.

Another interpretation: LIKE EARLY FIGS ON A FIG TREE. Just as this fig has no waste at all in it, < … > Whatever one eats has waste in it, and one throws away some of it; but in the case of the fig, one throws away none of it at all. < Just as this fig has no waste at all in it >, so the Holy One said to Abraham: You are whole, and there is no wasteful deficiency in you except the foreskin.⁹⁷See Gen. R. 46:4; Lev. R. 25:6. Remove this and be perfect. Thus it is stated (at the end of Gen. 17:1): WALK BEFORE ME AND BE PERFECT.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 17:1): WHEN ABRAHAM WAS NINETY < -NINE > YEARS OLD. This text is related (to Ps. 45:3f. [4f.]): YOU ARE FAIRER THAN THE CHILDREN OF ADAM; GRACE IS POURED OUT ON YOUR LIPS … GIRD YOUR SWORD UPON YOUR THIGH, O MIGHTY ONE….⁹⁸Tanh., Gen. 3:18. About whom do the children of Korah speak this psalm? About Abraham. He was fairer than children of the first Adam. And who were his children? Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. Moreover, some of the children of Noah are called children of Adam. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 11:5): AND THE TOWER WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ADAM HAD BUILT. (Ps. 45:3 [2]:) GRACE IS POURED OUT ON YOUR LIPS. How was that? When you swore to the king of Sodom. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 14:22f.): THEN ABRAM SAID UNTO THE KING OF SODOM: I HAVE RAISED MY HAND (in an oath) UNTO THE LORD GOD MOST HIGH … THAT < I WILL TAKE NOT > SO MUCH AS A THREAD. What is the meaning of GRACE … ON YOUR LIPS? When you spoke, grace poured out. And what was his reward? That the Holy One said this to him: Leave me all that you have done and everything for which you have been proud of yourself. You descended into the fiery furnace and experienced a lot of trials for my name. You arose and pursued the kings. But you have been proud of yourself in the world for all that you have done. From now on, you will seek to make my valor known. (Ps. 45:4 [3]:) GIRD ON YOUR SWORD. Put circumcision between your thighs. In that hour your glory and splendor shall be in the world. When? (Gen. 17:1-2:) WHEN ABRAHAM WAS … AND LET ME PUT MY COVENANT….

Another interpretation (of Gen. 17:1): WHEN ABRAHAM WAS NINETY < -NINE > YEARS OLD. The Holy One said to him: When I had created my world, I was patient < with you > for twenty generations¹⁰⁴Cf. Ket. 50a, according to which a parent must be patient with a son until the age of twelve. until you would come and receive circumcision. So now, if you do not accept < circumcision >, it is enough for me that the world < has existed > until now; and I am returning it to being void and without form.¹⁰⁵Gen. R. 46:3. It is unnecessary for me that the world < exist > any longer. He therefore said (in Gen. 17:1): I AM GOD ALMIGHTY (ShDY). I have had enough (DY), O world. But if you accept < circumcision > for yourself, we are enough for the world, < just > I and you.

(Gen. 17:1, cont.:) AND HE SAID UNTO HIM: I AM GOD ALMIGHTY ('L ShDY).¹⁰⁹The midrash understands ’L ShDY to mean GOD WHO IS ENOUGH. Enough (DY) of foreskin! Up to now foreskin has been customary, but circumcision has been concealed. It is enough (DY) for the world that I am his God.

[(Gen. 35:9, 11:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN]… < AND GOD SAID TO HIM: I AM GOD ALMIGHTY >. This text is related (to … Ps. 61:6 [5]): FOR YOU, O GOD, HAVE HEARKENED TO MY VOWS; < YOU HAVE GRANTED THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO FEAR YOUR NAME >. Isaac had a face with a visage like < that of > his father.⁸²Gk.: prosopon. On Isaac’s face being like that of Abraham, see Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 25:19; BM 87a. (Gen. 25:19:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC BEN ABRAHAM: ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC. What is the meaning of ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC? That he had a face with a visage like that of his father. Ergo (in Ps. 61:6 [5]): YOU HAVE GRANTED THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO FEAR YOUR NAME.⁸³According to BM 87a, Isaac’s visage miraculously became like that of Abraham and thereby demonstrated his paternity, i.e., that Isaac had a heritage. Just as Abraham had the Holy One speak with him at the age of ninety-nine years (in Gen. 17:1), so did Jacob have the Holy One speak with him at the age of ninety-nine years. Just as Abraham had the Holy One say to him (in Gen. 17:1): I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY;⁸⁴These last four words are not found in the Masoretic Text. so did JACOB have him speak with him as God Almighty. It is so stated (in Gen. 35:9, 11:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN … < AND GOD SAID TO HIM >: [I AM GOD ALMIGHTY); BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 17:1): I AM GOD ALMIGHTY ('L ShDY). R. Abbahu said: When the Holy One created his world, he created the heavens and the earth.¹¹⁰Hag. 12a; Gen. R. 46:3; PRE 3; above, 1:11; below, 10:12, 16. Then he told them that they should continue to spread out, as stated (in Is. 40:22): < WHO HAS STRETCHED OUT THE HEAVENS LIKE A CURTAIN > AND SPREAD THEM OUT LIKE A TENT TO DWELL IN. If he had not said: Enough! to them, they would have continued to be spread out until the dead rise (at the end of time). < What > the Holy One said to Abraham < was >: I am the one who said to my world: Enough (DY)! So < also > he says to foreskin: Enough!

(Gen. 17:1, cont.:) WALK BEFORE ME < AND BE PERFECT >. Before he performed circumcision, < the Holy One > never said: WALK BEFORE ME. Why? Because he was uncircumcised. After he performed circumcision, < the Holy One > said: WALK BEFORE ME. Before he performed circumcision, he was not whole. After he performed circumcision, he became whole.

It is written of Noah (in Gen. 6:9): NOAH WALKED WITH GOD. It is also written of Abraham (in Gen. 17:1): WALK BEFORE ME. One who reads < this might > think that Noah was greater than Abraham, but it is not so. R. Johanan and Resh Laqish differed.¹¹¹Cf. Gen. R. 30:10. R. Johanan told < this > parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had two sons, one elder and one younger. The younger would hold onto him so as not to fall, but the elder would walk before him. Thus it is written of Noah: NOAH WALKED WITH GOD. < He did so > lest he be drowned with the generation of the flood. In the case of Abraham, however, because he was without peer in the world and was righteous, to him the Holy One said (in Gen. 17:1): WALK BEFORE ME AND BE PERFECT. Resh Laqish < also > told a parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a friend who was sunk in the mire. He took hold of his hand and lifted him out of the mire. So Noah was sunk in the mire. The Holy One saw him, gave him a hand, and raised him out of the mire. Then to what was Abraham comparable? To a king who used to walk in the dark. His friend came, saw him, and provided him with light. The king said to him: As long as you are providing me with light, come and go before me. Thus [in the days of] Abraham the whole world was wicked, while he was righteous. The Holy One said to him: As long as you are providing light in the east, WALK BEFORE ME.

It is written of Noah (in Gen. 6:9): NOAH WALKED WITH GOD. It is also written concerning the ancestors of the world (in Gen. 48:15): THE GOD BEFORE WHOM MY ANCESTORS < ABRAHAM AND ISAAC > WALKED. R. Johanan said: To what were the ancestors comparable < in their position > before the Holy One? To a shepherd who walks with his flock before him. Resh Laqish said: Up to now the flock has been necessary for the shepherd. Then to what were the ancestors comparable < in their position > before the Holy One? To a prince who walks with his elders before him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 48:15): BEFORE WHOM MY ANCESTORS < ABRAHAM AND ISAAC > WALKED. Ergo (in Gen. 17:1): WALK BEFORE ME AND BE PERFECT.

THE TRIALS OF ABRAHAM (continued)
THE eighth trial (was as follows): "And when Abram was ninety-nine years old" (Gen. 17:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Until now thou hast not been perfect before Me; but circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin, and "walk before me, and be thou perfect" (ibid.). Moreover, the foreskin is a reproach, as it is said, "For that is a reproach unto us" (Gen. 34:14), because the foreskin is more unclean than all unclean things, as it is said, "For henceforth there shall no more || come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean" (Isa. 52:1). For the foreskin is a blemish above all blemishes. Circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin and be perfect.

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, etc. It is written, To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Eccl. 3:1). There was a season when circumcision should be given to Abraham In the self same day was Abraham circumcised (Gen. 17:26); there was a season when his descendants were to neglect it as it is written, For all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, had not been circumcised (Josh, 5:5). Why should he not have circumcised himself at the age of forty-eight, when he recognised his Creator? In order not to discourage proselytes. Then why not be circumcised at the age of eighty-five, when [God] spoke with him between the pieces? In order that Isaac might issue from a holy source. Then let him be circumcised at the age of eighty-six, when Ishmael was born? Said R. Simeon b. Lakish : [God said] : ' I will set up a cinnamon tree in the world: just as the cinnamon tree yields fruit as long as you manure and hoe around it, so [shall Abraham be] even when his blood runs sluggishly and his passions and desires have ceased.

(5) R' Yishmael and R' Akiva: R' Yishmael says, Avraham was a High Priest, as it says (Ps. 110:4), "The LORD has sworn and will not relent, 'You are a priest forever, etc.'" and it says elsewhere (Gen. 17:11), "You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin." From where should he be circumcised? If he is circumcised from the ear, he is not fit to offer sacrifices. From the mouth, he is not fit to offer sacrifices. From the heart, he is not fit to offer sacrifices. Where should he be circumcised so that he will be fit to offer sacrifices? You must say it is the foreskin of the body. R' Akiva says, there are four foreskins. Foreskin is said with regard to the ear (Jer. 6:10): "Their ears are blocked." Foreskin is said with regard to the mouth (Exod. 6:12): "me, a man of impeded lips." Foreskin is said with regard to the heart (Jer. 9:25): "but all the House of Israel are uncircumcised of heart." Foreskin is said with regard to the body (Gen. 17:14): "male who is uncircumcised [one who is uncircumcised in his maleness]." It was said to him, (Gen. 17:1): "Walk in My ways and be blameless/whole." If he is circumcised from the ear, he is not whole; from the mouth, he is not whole; from the heart, he is not whole. From where should he be circumcised so that he will be whole? You must say it is the foreskin of the body. Scripture says (Gen. 17:11-12), "[You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.] And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days." If he is circumcised from the ear, he cannot hear; from the mouth, he cannot speak; from the heart, he cannot think. From where should he be circumcised so that he can think? This is the foreskin of the body. R' Tanhuma said, tis Scripture makes sense (Gen. 17:14): "male who is uncircumcised [one who is uncircumcised in his maleness]." And does there exist one who is uncircumcised in femaleness? Rather, from the place where it is recognized whether male or female -- from there we circumcise him.

And these are the days of the years of the life of Avraham (Bereishit 25:7). It's written, God knows the days of the pure, and their inheritance will be eternal (Tehillim 37:18). God knows the days of the pure: this is Avraham, as it is said And be pure. And their inheritance will be eternal - and these are the days of the years of the life of Avraham. That he adores the Holy Blessed One, who gives the righteous and writes them in the Torah, so that the inheritance of their days will be remembered forever: In ripe old age, old and satisfied (Bereishit 25:8). And Avraham perished (ibid.) - Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said, the original pious would suffer with intestinal disease for ten and twenty days, to say that illness clarifies. Rabbi Yehuda said, everyone of whom it is said "perish" died of intestinal disease. It's written, strength and beauty are her robes [and she laughs at the last day] (Mishlei 31:25) - every reward of the righteous is prepared for them for the future to come. The Holy Blessed One shows them, before they are in this world, all the reward which They will eventually give them in the world to come - and their souls are satisfied and they sleep. Rabbi Elazar says, it's like a banquet which a king prepared and invited guests, and showed them what they would eat and drink, and their souls are satisfied and they sleep - so too with the Holy Blessed One. They show the righteous before they are in this world their veentual reward, and they sleep, as it is said For now I would be lying down, silent (Iyov 3:13). That is to say, at the time of the departure of the righteous, the Holy Blessed One shows them the reward of their labour. When Rabbi Abahu slept, thirteen rivers of balsam were shown to him. He said to them, whose are these? They said to him, yours. He said, these are Abahu's? ...