וצפן [יִצְפֹּ֣ן] לַ֭יְשָׁרִים תּוּשִׁיָּ֑ה מָ֝גֵ֗ן לְהֹ֣לְכֵי תֹֽם׃
Ia menyimpan hikmat sejati bagi orang-orang yang lurus hati, dan menjadi perisai bagi mereka yang hidup dengan tulus.
Rabbeinu Chananel
אני אל שדי. The commandment of circumcision was given using this Divine Name (El Shaddai) because a man's strength and power are diminished through circumcision. As our Sages have taught, יצפון לישרים תושיה (Proverbs 2:7), "He treasures up sound wisdom for the righteous," refers to circumcision, which the Holy One, Blessed be He, concealed for twenty generations, from Adam until Abraham. This name, Shaddai, is associated with power, as it is written, כקול מים רבים כקול שדי (Ezekiel 1:24), "like the voice of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai." G-d did not want Abraham to think that by cutting his flesh he would weaken himself and make himself vulnerable to his enemies. Therefore, G-d said to him, אני אל שדי, “I am El Shaddai.” I will provide you with the strength and power to overcome your enemies, both you and all your circumcised descendants. This echoes Rabbeinu Chananel's commentary, which emphasizes that the name Shaddai, associated with might and strength, was used to reassure Abraham that despite the physical act of circumcision, G-d would ensure his continued strength and ability to overcome adversaries. This reassurance extended to all of Abraham's descendants who would observe this commandment.
Rabbeinu Bahya
Rabbeinu Chananel writes that G’d gave the commandment for Avraham to circumcise himself and his household by using this attribute (name), seeing that the physical strength of a person is weakened when he undergoes circumcision. [He wanted to encourage Avraham. Ed.] We are told in a Midrash that the meaning of Proverbs 2,7 יצפון לישרים תושיה, “He reserves sound wisdom for the upright though it weakens the body,” is a reference to circumcision. [The Talmud Sanhedrin 26 applies this verse to Torah study. Ed.] This was why G’d delayed giving this commandment to man for twenty generations. The word צפון then means “hidden.” There were 20 generations between Adam and Avraham. The name שדי is indicative of and equivalent to the emanation גבורה as we know from Ezekiel 1,24 כקול מים רבים כקול שדי, “like the sound of great waters, like the sound of Shaddai.”
Seeing G’d did not want Avraham to say that when he would perform surgery on his flesh he would weaken himself, G’d introduced the subject by referring to Himself as the powerful One, as Shaddai, as if to assure Avraham that He personally would compensate him for any loss of physical vigour Avraham would experience as a result of observing this commandment. He would remain strong enough to overcome any of his adversaries, both he and all of his descendants who would abide by this commandment.
Seeing G’d did not want Avraham to say that when he would perform surgery on his flesh he would weaken himself, G’d introduced the subject by referring to Himself as the powerful One, as Shaddai, as if to assure Avraham that He personally would compensate him for any loss of physical vigour Avraham would experience as a result of observing this commandment. He would remain strong enough to overcome any of his adversaries, both he and all of his descendants who would abide by this commandment.
Haamek Sheilah
BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE NATURE OF THE PROPHETS AND HAGIOGRAPHA, THEY HAD TO BE WRITTEN IN A PARTICULAR STYLE
THE EXPLANATION GIVEN above, however, is still not clear. Can it be that because God burdens [the people of Israel] with the twenty-four Books of the Prophets and the Hagiographa, [this prevents] them from sinning? Further, what kind of burden is this? [The burden of learning the twenty-four books] is unlike the toiling that is described in Tractate Betzah 25b, which we previously discussed [in the last chapter]. It was because of [the stubborn nature of the people of Israel] that they were commanded to toil in the study of Torah day and night, even beyond that which was needed to know how to practice, for this would weaken1Literally, “pluck the strength [of their evil inclination].” the strength [of their evil inclination] and soften their heart of stone. The Oral Law is called Tushiyah2Prov 3:21, 8:14, etc. Though this word is usually translated as “counsel” or “understanding,” it is linked here to the word mateshes – “weakens” (the body or the evil inclination). See Tractate Sanhedrin 26b, “[Pertaining to the verse (Isa. 28:29), ‘Wonderful is His tushiyyah, His counsel, great is His wisdom.’ R. Hanan said, Why is the Torah called tushiyyah? Because it weakens the strength of man.’” On Prov. 2:7, the Gaon of Vilna says that it weakens the evil inclination. because the light it contains [causes one] to return to the right [path]. However, by [merely] increasing the quantity of the Written Torah, no additional burden would be imposed [to occupy the Jewish people so as to prevent them from sinning].3The Netziv argues that the Prophets and Hagiographa do not require the kind of intense study necessary in learning the Oral Law. Another problem is that the wording of R. Hunia’s statement in Koheles Rabbah does not read well. What connection is there between toiling in the study of the Prophets and Hagiographa and the performance of precepts and righteous acts?4Also “charitable acts.”
THE EXPLANATION GIVEN above, however, is still not clear. Can it be that because God burdens [the people of Israel] with the twenty-four Books of the Prophets and the Hagiographa, [this prevents] them from sinning? Further, what kind of burden is this? [The burden of learning the twenty-four books] is unlike the toiling that is described in Tractate Betzah 25b, which we previously discussed [in the last chapter]. It was because of [the stubborn nature of the people of Israel] that they were commanded to toil in the study of Torah day and night, even beyond that which was needed to know how to practice, for this would weaken1Literally, “pluck the strength [of their evil inclination].” the strength [of their evil inclination] and soften their heart of stone. The Oral Law is called Tushiyah2Prov 3:21, 8:14, etc. Though this word is usually translated as “counsel” or “understanding,” it is linked here to the word mateshes – “weakens” (the body or the evil inclination). See Tractate Sanhedrin 26b, “[Pertaining to the verse (Isa. 28:29), ‘Wonderful is His tushiyyah, His counsel, great is His wisdom.’ R. Hanan said, Why is the Torah called tushiyyah? Because it weakens the strength of man.’” On Prov. 2:7, the Gaon of Vilna says that it weakens the evil inclination. because the light it contains [causes one] to return to the right [path]. However, by [merely] increasing the quantity of the Written Torah, no additional burden would be imposed [to occupy the Jewish people so as to prevent them from sinning].3The Netziv argues that the Prophets and Hagiographa do not require the kind of intense study necessary in learning the Oral Law. Another problem is that the wording of R. Hunia’s statement in Koheles Rabbah does not read well. What connection is there between toiling in the study of the Prophets and Hagiographa and the performance of precepts and righteous acts?4Also “charitable acts.”