Kiddushin, Daf Kaf Tet, Part 3

Introduction

The Talmud explains the obligation to circumcise, which is primarily incumbent upon the father.

למולו מנלן דכתיב (בראשית כא, ד) וימל אברהם את יצחק בנו

To circumcise him. How do we know this? As it is written: And Abraham circumcised his son Yitzchak (Genesis 21:4).

To the Talmud, this verse lays out the basic obligation for a father to circumcise his son.

והיכא דלא מהליה אבוה מיחייבי בי דינא למימהליה דכתיב (בראשית יז, י) המול לכם כל זכר

והיכא דלא מהליה בי דינא מיחייב איהו למימהל נפשיה דכתיב (בראשית יז, יד) וערל זכר אשר לא ימול את בשר ערלתו ונכרתה

And if his father did not circumcise him, the court is obligated to circumcise him, as it is written: Every male among you shall be circumcised (Genesis 17:10).

And if the court did not circumcise him, he is obligated to circumcise himself, as it is written: And the uncircumcised male who will not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, he shall be cut off (Genesis 17:14).

If the father is negligent in his duty, then the court must circumcise him. If the court does not do so, then he has an obligation to get himself circumcised. Would really not be easy to become an adult and then find out your Dad and the court did not circumcise you.

איהי מנלן דלא מיחייבא דכתיב (בראשית כא, ד) כאשר צוה אותו אלהים אותו ולא אותה

How do we know that she [the mother] is not obligated? As it is written, [And Abraham circumcised his son . . .] as God had commanded him (Genesis 21:4): him, but not her [the mother].

God commanded Abraham to circumcise Yitzchak. He did not command Sarah.

אשכחן מיד לדורות מנלן תנא דבי ר’ ישמעאל כל מקום שנאמר צו אינו אלא זירוז מיד ולדורות זירוז דכתיב (דברים ג, כח) וצו את יהושע וחזקהו ואמצהו מיד ולדורות דכתיב (במדבר טו, כג) מן היום אשר צוה ה’ והלאה לדורותיכם:

Now, we find that this was an obligation at that time; how do we know it for all times? The School of R. Ishmael taught: Whenever command is stated, its only purpose is to exhort for then and all time.

To exhort: As it is written, But command Joshua, and strengthen him, and give him bravery (Deuteronomy 15:23). Then and for all time, as it is written, From the day that the Lord commanded, and onward throughout your generations (Numbers 15:23).

The idea that circumcision was a commandment not just for Abraham, but for all subsequent generations is derived from the use of the word command. We should note that Leviticus does state that newborn males must be circumcised on the eighth day. It is unclear why that source is not used here.