Halakhah su Genesi 17:10

The commandment to circumcise: [Parshat] Lekh Lekha [has] one positive commandment, and that is the commandment to circumcise; as it is stated (Genesis 17:10), "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between you and I, and with your descendants after you, circumcise all males." And [the commandment] is repeated in the Order of Eesha ki Tazria, as it is stated (Leviticus 12:3), "And on the eighth day circumcise the flesh of his foreskin." There are many commandments which are repeated in many places in the Torah; and all of them are necessary as the sages explained (Shabbat 132a and Shabbat 135a). And the content of this commandment is that we cut the foreskin that covers the head of the member and then tearing the sorting skin which is below it so that the glans of the member will be exposed. As is known to those that understand, the completion of the form of man comes with the removal of this foreskin which is extraneous.

All are fit to be an agent for betrothal except the deaf-mute,²¹In Jewish legislation deaf and dumb persons are frequently classed with minors and insane people and are considered unable to enter into some transactions requiring responsibility and will. The deaf-mute as well as the deaf or mute was not competent to be a witness to any transaction; for all testimony was given by word of mouth and the witnesses had to be able to hear the exhortation of the court. insane, and minor because they are lacking mental capacity, and the Gentile because he is not a son of the covenant²²This refers to one who is considered Jewish. The identifying mark of the male would be the circumcision. Circumcision is a religious rite performed on all male children of Jews on the eighth day after birth. It was commanded by God to Abraham (Gen. 17:10-14, Gen. 21:4) and his descendents as a “token of the covenant.” The penalty for non-observance was “Karet,” according to Rabbinic interpretation, a punishment by God. and the slave for he is not within the laws of betrothal. [Note: There are those who say that the first agent is able to appoint a second agent (Halachot, R. Mordechai Ben Hillel, Chapter “Hamekabel” in the name of some anonymous Rabbis) if he transmits to him the betrothal money or object that the owner transmitted to him, but if the owner did not transmit to him the betrothal money but only commanded him to betroth with any money he might want, he cannot appoint an agent. And there are those who say that in all cases the first agent cannot appoint a second agent (Hagahot Mordechai, Chapter Haish Mekadesh). If he sends a document through a non-Jew to an Israelite friend who is in another place and appoints him to be an agent to betroth him a woman there are those who say that the law is like in Gittin;²³Name of a treatise of the Mishnah, elaborated in the Palestinian and Babylonian Gemaras. It belongs to the third, out of six orders, “Nashim” (woman). While the name of the treatise signifies “documents” it is specifically applied to bills of divorce and only incidentally refers to other documents. and there are those who say that (as is explained below, Chapter 141) (Rabenu Yerucham) all agree that with regard to kidushin she is consecrated according to biblical law. (Thus it is written in Bet Yosef.)]

That is that He commanded us to circumcise a boy. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying to Avraham, "every male among you shall be circumcised" (Genesis 17:10) - and, after it, that whoever negates this commandment is liable for excision. And the regulations of this commandment have already been explained in Chapter 18 of Shabbat and 4 of Yevamot. But a woman is not commanded to circumcise her son, like the father is commanded about this - as is explained in Kiddushin (Kiddushin 29a). (See Parashat Lech Lecha; Mishneh Torah, Circumcision.)