The Significance of Brit Mila

The Mitzva of Brit Mila, or circumcision, is given in the Book of Bereishit. Avraham Avinu is told that this is the act that creates a covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people.

There is a principle that says that whatever laws were given before Sinai, were repeated on Mount Sinai. In the case of Brit, it was repeated in connection with the woman who had given birth to a male. The Torah tells us that on the eighth day the circumcision is meant to take place.

Even though there could be non-Jews who perform circumcision, it does not have the same significance as it does for a Jew. The very fact that it is a commandment to do this Mitzva puts it on a different level than doing it for health reasons.

Another important factor is that we learn that the Brit is done on the eighth day even it falls on Shabbat. The principle here is that an עשה, a positive commandment is דוחה לא תעשה, overrides a negative commandment. The negative commandment is not to violate Shabbat.

All of this points to the importance and significance of Brit Mila as an act that shows strong Jewish identity. It is remarkable that despite Judaism branching out into different factions, where some are highly liberal, the Mitzva of Brit Mila is observed by all Jews. It must be a kind of subconscious spiritual identity that bonds all of our people with this sacred act.