여호수아 5:4의 Musar

I have explained the deeper meaning of this commandment elsewhere at length. However, we cannot simply pass by this opportunity to comment on such an important commandment and some of the secrets contained in that מצוה. This is especially so in view of the Torah relating the fulfillment of this commandment to Israel's possessing the Holy Land, seeing that G–d said to Abraham: "I shall give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you sojourn, the whole of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession; I shall be their G–d" (Genesis 17,8). Our sages comment that G–d told Abraham: "If your offspring will observe the commandment of circumcision they will enter the Holy Land; if not, they will not enter." (Compare Rashi on Joshua 5,4) We observe that the land of Israel is closely tied up with the rite of circumcision, the relevant verse in Scriptures (Deut. 32,9) being כי חלק ה' עמו, יעקב חבל נחלתו, "For the Lord's portion is His people, Jacob His own allotment (the "allotment" being the land of Israel).