Parshas Mishpatim 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Feb 19
- 2 min read
אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה חקות שמים וארץ לא שמתי ... (ירמי' לג-כה)
As Klal Yisroel continued to maintain Jewish slaves in their homes, despite Hashem’s repeated warnings to the contrary, Yirmiyahu HaNavi berates the people and predicts the eventual downfall of Yerushalayim. Nevertheless, Hashem maintained that, “If I hadn’t established a covenant with the day and night, I wouldn’t have set the laws and ways of the world.” Chazal expound on these words and say that this is referring to the covenant of the Torah and Bris Milah, to derive from here that because of these all-important mitzvos, heaven and earth were created. But while we know that learning Torah is a requirement for every Jew, both by day and at night, the mitzvah of circumcision is a one that is only performed by day. What then is the comparison?
R’ Akiva Eiger zt”l explains that Torah and Bris Milah do indeed have a lot in common with one another, for by cutting off the foreskin externally, the internal "ערלת הלב" becomes severed as well. This is essential for a child’s spiritual growth since not only does it relieve the soul of “excess” weight, but it also leads to an opening in the child’s heart which allows the study of Torah to surge inside. This gateway is the only way for a person to succeed in Torah study and is crucial for a child’s development in the world.
Thus, while it may seem to only apply by day, the mitzvah of Bris Milah is in fact intrinsically tied to Torah study and is applicable not only by day but also at night as well. Truly, an integral component of heaven and earth.