וַתִּזְנִ֧י אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־מִצְרַ֛יִם שְׁכֵנַ֖יִךְ גִּדְלֵ֣י בָשָׂ֑ר וַתַּרְבִּ֥י אֶת־תַּזְנֻתֵ֖ךְ לְהַכְעִיסֵֽנִי׃
Nagpatutot ka rin sa mga Egipcio, ang iyong mga kapitbahay na malalaki ang laman, at pinarami mo ang iyong pagpapatutot upang galitin ako.
Ramban
According to the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra, the Scriptural command, After the doings of the land of Egypt … shall ye not do,224Verse 3. is a reference to [the practice of sacrificing to] the demons mentioned above [in 17:7]; and after the doings of the land of Canaan … shall ye not do224Verse 3. is an allusion to the forbidden sexual relationships, in which the Canaanites were very bad and sinful,225Genesis 13:13. as He stated at the end of this section, For all these abominations have the men of the Land done.226Further, Verse 27. And in the opinion of our Rabbis in the Torath Kohanim,227Torath Kohanim, Acharei 9:3. the Egyptians were also addicted to carnality, in all forms of the forbidden relationships, and with males and cattle. This is the truth, [as Scripture states] that there were also sodomites in the Land,228I Kings 14:24. The verse concludes: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Eternal drove out before the children of Israel. referring [to the abominations of the nations] which were there from the beginning till now. Scripture further testifies concerning them, the Egyptians, thy neighbors, great of flesh,229Ezekiel 16:26. and it further says, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses,230Ibid., 23:20. the term “flesh” being a euphemism [for the sexual organ]. Similarly, in the expressions, his flesh ran with his issue,231Above, 15:2. and her issue in her flesh be blood232Ibid., Verse 19. [the term “flesh” is an allusion to the sexual organ].
Sforno
בבשרכם; the word בשר is a euphemism for the reproductive organ of the male, as for instance in Ezekiel 16,26 גדלי בשר, "with outsized male member." Or, Leviticus 5, 2-3 זב מבשר, "an uncontrolled seminal emission from his male organ." There are more examples of the word בשר having that same meaning. Seeing that the organ on which the covenant with G'd is marked is the organ instrumental in ensuring a man's continuity beyond death through the genes of his offspring, it is appropriate that the covenant which represents the eternal intimate and reciprocal relationship of G'd and the Jewish people should be symbolized in this manner.
Ramban
AND THE UNCIRCUMCISED MALE. Here Scripture teaches you that this circumcision must be at the location where the distinction between male and female is evident. Thus the words of Rashi. Our Rabbis have likewise mentioned other reasons.418Shabbath 108a.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said:419In his commentary to Leviticus 12:3. “his foreskin,420Leviticus 12:3. which is known, for it is in the genital organ. But not so are the expressions: uncircumcised in the heart;421Jeremiah 9:25. uncircumcised lips;422Exodus 6:12. their ear is uncircumcised.423Jeremiah 6:10. All of these latter are in a construct state.424But when the word orlah is not used in the construct state (as in Leviticus 12:3) it refers to the genital organ.
In my opinion the matter is clearly explained in Scripture. It does not say, “And ye shall circumcise your foreskin,” thus leaving the meaning in doubt, nor does it say, “the foreskin of your flesh,” just as it says the foreskin of your heart,425Deuteronomy 10:16. and “the foreskin of your lips.”426I did not find this exact quote. Perhaps reference is to Exodus 6:12, mentioned above. But instead it says, And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin,427Verse 11 here. meaning that you are to cut off the flesh which is your foreskin, namely, your flesh which obstructs, and there is no flesh in the body which obstructs and covers a limb [as is the case with the genital organ], where one can cut the flesh and remain without the foreskin, other than the “flesh that covers the corona,” which the Sages mentioned.428Shabbath 137a. In our text of the Mishnah there: “flesh that covers ‘the greater part’ of the corona.” Ramban’s version is similar to that of the Talmud Munich Ms. (See Dikduke Sofrim, ibid.) The word “flesh” in the expression, uncircumcised in flesh,429Ezekiel 44:9. is a euphemism for the genital organ, just as in the verses great of flesh,430Ibid., 16:26. and an issue of his flesh.431Leviticus 14:2. The word “flesh” in these two verses refers to the genital organ.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said:419In his commentary to Leviticus 12:3. “his foreskin,420Leviticus 12:3. which is known, for it is in the genital organ. But not so are the expressions: uncircumcised in the heart;421Jeremiah 9:25. uncircumcised lips;422Exodus 6:12. their ear is uncircumcised.423Jeremiah 6:10. All of these latter are in a construct state.424But when the word orlah is not used in the construct state (as in Leviticus 12:3) it refers to the genital organ.
In my opinion the matter is clearly explained in Scripture. It does not say, “And ye shall circumcise your foreskin,” thus leaving the meaning in doubt, nor does it say, “the foreskin of your flesh,” just as it says the foreskin of your heart,425Deuteronomy 10:16. and “the foreskin of your lips.”426I did not find this exact quote. Perhaps reference is to Exodus 6:12, mentioned above. But instead it says, And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin,427Verse 11 here. meaning that you are to cut off the flesh which is your foreskin, namely, your flesh which obstructs, and there is no flesh in the body which obstructs and covers a limb [as is the case with the genital organ], where one can cut the flesh and remain without the foreskin, other than the “flesh that covers the corona,” which the Sages mentioned.428Shabbath 137a. In our text of the Mishnah there: “flesh that covers ‘the greater part’ of the corona.” Ramban’s version is similar to that of the Talmud Munich Ms. (See Dikduke Sofrim, ibid.) The word “flesh” in the expression, uncircumcised in flesh,429Ezekiel 44:9. is a euphemism for the genital organ, just as in the verses great of flesh,430Ibid., 16:26. and an issue of his flesh.431Leviticus 14:2. The word “flesh” in these two verses refers to the genital organ.