Musar zu Bereschit 2:24

I have written on a number of occasions that man is the purpose of Creation, that he was created in the image and likeness of G–d, and that just as Adam originally had two faces to indicate the equality of man and woman, so also man's body and soul respectively used to be perfect and both were sanctified to their G–d. Woman subsequently was separated from Adam in order to become his helpmate (partner), to enable them to unite truly and to become "one flesh" (Genesis 2,24). Adam (Man) by this separation assumed his perfect form, and had become complete. In the Midrash of Rabbi Nechuniah ben Hakanah we find the statement that G–d's holiness is made up of seven different aspects, everyone of which is represented in man. It is written of Man that "He created him in the image of G–d; He created them male and female" (Genesis 1,27). These are the seven aspects in which Man reflects sacred aspects of G–d; the right upper leg, the left upper leg, the right hand, the left hand, the torso (the male member) and the head. If you will add these up you will only arrive at a total of six. The seventh is the wife of man; the Torah describes her as an integral part of man when it writes: "they became one flesh." Thus far the Midrash of Rabbi Nechuniah ben Hakanah i.e. ספר הבהיר.

When the sages in the Talmud speak about the bones of such a bachelor swelling up, they take into consideration that Adam described his wife as עצם מעצמי, "a bone of my bones” (Genesis 2,23), and that man therefore is not complete until he has been paired with the remainder of his bones. Failure to do this causes damage to his bones, leaves him physically incomplete. The reason the time limit is twenty years is that at that age a Jewish man is subject to military duties, and the Torah refers to him as איש, man (Numbers 2,2 et al). The relationship between military duty and fulfillment of the commandment to be fruitful is also alluded to in Genesis 1,28 where G–d links the commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" with the command to "conquer" the earth.

We read in the Sefer Habahir, that the reason the Torah commands circumcision to be performed on the eighth day of the infant's life is that man possesses eight extremities, i.e. his right and left hand, the right and left foot, the head, the body, the male member and its mate, since the Torah describes man as "ודבק אשתו והיו לבשר אחד, "he cleaves to his wife so that they become one flesh” (Genesis 2,24). When G–d said to Abraham: אני הנני בריתי אתך, "I, here My covenant is with you," this is a reference to the fact that the שכינה is known as Ani, and that the heavenly covenant is symbolized on the body by a ציון, a mark. Once the male glans is uncovered, this enables the שכינה to return to ציון, Zion, and man on earth remains whole, retains the image of G–d. When that condition exists, all his 248 limbs are whole, and this is what the name 248=אברהם represents. When in that condition, Abraham is able to enter the Zion on this earth. We can then be a nation on our own land for the imprint of G–d is on our bodies. This seal signifies that we are permanently different and distinct from the other nations and are indeed part of the holiness of G–d.