Comentário sobre Gênesis 17:9

ואתה AND AS FOR THEE — This ו (of ואתה) connects this verse with the preceding matter (v. Gensis 17:4, thus setting ואתה of here in contrast with the ואני of there): “As for Me, behold My covenant is with thee” — “and as for thee, thou shalt be careful to keep it”. And what constitutes the “keeping” of it? THIS IS MY COVENANT WHICH YE SHALL KEEP… EVERY MALE AMONGST YOU [SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED].

‘VE’ATAH’ (AND AS FOR THEE), THOU SHALT KEEP MY COVENANT. Rashi commented, “The vav of ve’atah connects the verse with the preceding matter [in Verse 4]: ‘As for Me behold My covenant is with thee, and as for thee, thou shalt be careful to keep it.’ And what constitutes this ‘keeping’ of it? This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you — this applies to those who were then alive; and thy seed after thee⁴¹⁰Verse 10 here. — this applies to those who are yet to be born.” The Rabbi is correct in his interpretation of the plain meaning of the verse.
Now they⁴¹¹This reason is found in the Commentary of R’dak. See also Moreh Nebuchim (III, 49), where other reasons are given. have said concerning the reason for the commandment of circumcision that He has thereby placed a reminder in the organ of lust, which is the source of much trouble and sin, in order that it should not be used excepting where it is commandatory and permissible.
By way of truth,⁴¹²A reference to the mystic teachings of the Torah. See Seder Bereshith, Note 63. the meaning of the verse, Behold, My covenant is with thee,⁴¹³Verse 4 here. is similar in meaning to the verses: Behold, I am with thee;⁴¹⁴Further, 28:15. And He said, Certainly, I will be with thee;⁴¹⁵Exodus 3:12. The Eternal our G-d be with us.⁴¹⁶I Kings 8:57. He is thus saying that the covenant will be with him, and therefore he will be fruitful and multiply. After that He commanded that Abraham keep this covenant, and the circumcision will be as a sign of the covenant. Thus it is that this “sign” is as “the sign” of the Sabbath,⁴¹⁷Concerning the Sabbath, it is also written: It is a sign forever. (Exodus 31:17.) and therefore circumcision sets aside the Sabbath. Understand this.

ואתה את בריתי תשמר, "just as I keep My part of the covenant, I want you to keep your part of My covenant. Unless the covenant is respected mutually it will be invalid.

You must preserve My covenant. The earlier covenant embodied in the sacrifices (15:7-18) would not have distinguished the Jewish nation in exile as circumcision would.

ויאמר אלוקים אל אברהם, once G'd had changed Avram's name Moses never again spelled in the former way. Our sages have gone so far as to describe anyone referring to Avraham as Avram as having violated a positive as well as a negative commandment. (Bereshit Rabbah 46,8) They base this on the wording "your name shall not be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham." (verse 5) Many people question this, pointing out that in Nechemya 9,7 we read אתה הוא ה' האלוקים אשר בחרת באברם , "you are the Lord G'd Who has chosen Avram." The answer is that perhaps what Nechemya meant was that G'd had chosen Avraham to be Avraham at a time when he was still known as Avram. According to the plain meaning of the text, the wording of the Torah is only a warning not to call Avraham by this former name, it is not part of the 613 commandments

ואתה ist das Korrelat zu dem vorhergehen אני, Vers4. תשמר Ich, hatte Gott gesagt, werde meinen Bund unter allen Umständen aufrecht halten, selbst wenn Verhältnisse eintreten sollten, die ihn zum Falle bringen könnten; allein אתה את בריתי תשמר du hast meinen ברית zu hüten, dir und deinen Nachkommen liegt es ob, dafür zu sorgen, dass er nicht in diese Gefahr komme. Diese Verpflichtung ruht auf allen Nachkommen Abrahams. Diese Nachkommen verdanken nicht nur ihre geistig sittliche Bestimmung, sondern ihre ganze pyhsische und materielle Existenz eben nur dieser von Abraham übernommenen Verpflichtung. Ihr ganzes Dasein ist aus dieser Verpflichtung hervorgegangen! Ohne sie wäre kein Jizchak geboren worden. Sie sind nur unter dieser Bedingung geworden und atmen nur als Söhne dieses Bundes. Ihr Dasein selbst verpflichtet sie daher zu diesem Bunde.

ואתה את בריתי תשמר, G'd makes plain that the overriding condition upon which this covenant is based is the meticulous observance by Avraham and his descendants of the terms of this covenant. Avraham is to pass on this condition to his offspring as well as to his household.