Midrash sobre Êxodo 23:17

“Daughter of a nobleman,” the daughter of Abraham who was called noble, just as it says: “The noblemen of the people have assembled, the people of the God of Abraham…” (Psalms 47:10).¹⁹The midrash thus interprets the verse as referring to Israel as daughter of Abraham. “Your rounded thighs,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All the luxuries and delicacies in which Israel luxuriates, and enjoys in this world, are by the merit of circumcision, which is between the thighs. Rabbi Ḥiyya said: What did the Sages see that led them to establish healing in the eighth blessing?²⁰Of the Amida prayer. It corresponds to circumcision, which was given [to be performed] on the eighth [day]. That is what is written: “My covenant was with him, life and peace” (Malachi 2:5). “Like ornaments [ḥala’im],” how many illnesses [ḥalayim] result from it, how many babies are circumcised and die as a result.²¹The merit of this mitzva is great because the Jewish people observe it scrupulously despite the danger (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Natan said: There was an incident where I came to the province of Cappadocia and there was a certain woman there who bore male children and they would be circumcised and die. She circumcised the first and he died, the second and he died, the third and he died. She brought the fourth [child] before me, and I saw that its flesh was yellow. I examined him and I did not find the blood of circumcision in him. They said to me: ‘Should we circumcise him?’ I said to them: ‘Wait and leave him until the blood of circumcision comes to him, as we learned there:²²Mishna Shabbat 19:5. A sick child, one does not circumcise him until he heals. They left him [for a while, and then] circumcised him, and he survived, and they named him Natan after me.’ That is “like ornaments.”
Another matter, “like ornaments,” to what were these ornaments similar? Rabbi Ḥonya and the Rabbis, Rabbi Ḥonya said: To a capital of a pillar. The Rabbis say: To the hollow of a pearl. Who crafted it? “The handiwork of a master craftsman,” the handiwork of the Holy One blessed be He in the world. Rabbi Shmuel said: [This is analogous] to a king who had an orchard. He planted rows of nut trees, apple trees, and pomegranate trees and gave them to his son. He said to him: My son, I demand nothing of you, only that when these trees produce fruit, bring me a sample of them and give me a taste so that I may see my handiwork and rejoice in you. So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel, My children, I demand nothing of you, only that when a firstborn son will be born to one of you, he shall consecrate it to My name. That is what is written: “Consecrate every firstborn to Me” (Exodus 13:2). And when you ascend on your way to the pilgrim festivals take him and all your males to appear before Me. Therefore, Moses cautioned Israel: “Three times during the year [all your males shall appear before…the Lord]” (Exodus 23:17).²³Since one who is uncircumcised cannot ascend for the pilgrimage festival (see Yevamot 72a), it is implied that the son has been circumcised.