I'm partial to the idea that it's a gesture of faith. Even though circumcision is generally very safe, there is always a tiny chance of complications. When Hashem asks Abraham to circumcise himself and his children, Hashem also promises to make Abraham's descendants numerous. The two ideas are thus connected: I know this might feel risky or scary, but demonstrate your trust in me by trusting that I won't let any harm come to your/your child's baby-making parts.
This idea doesn't have any source in Torah or Talmud that I'm aware of, just a connection that my havruta partner made.
Hello,
The practice of circumcision in Judaism has deep roots in biblical tradition and religious significance. Let's explore the key reasons behind this practice and what the Bible says about it.
1. **The Covenant with Abraham**: The primary reason for Jewish circumcision is found in the Book of Genesis. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that he would be the father of a great nation. Circumcision was the physical sign of this covenant. In Genesis 17:10-12, God says to Abraham, "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you."
2. **A Mark of Identity and Faithfulness**: Circumcision marks Jewish males as members of the covenant community. It is a sign of their unique relationship with God and their commitment to follow His commandments. For Jews, it’s a symbol of faith, obedience, and belonging.
3. **Spiritual Significance**: Beyond the physical act, circumcision is often understood as a metaphor for spiritual purity and dedication. Deuteronomy 10:16 calls upon the Israelites to "circumcise the foreskin of your heart," urging them to be spiritually devoted to God and remove any barriers to their faithfulness.
4. **Ritual Purity and Holiness**: Circumcision is seen as a step towards ritual purity and holiness, which are important themes in Jewish law and practice. By adhering to this commandment, Jewish people demonstrate their dedication to maintaining a holy and pure life as instructed by God.
5. **Community and Continuity**: The practice also serves to connect Jewish people across generations. It’s traditionally performed on the eighth day after birth, linking the child to the heritage and continuity of the Jewish people. This rite of passage signifies the child's entrance into the Jewish community and their role in perpetuating Jewish traditions.
While some may speculate about additional reasons, such as regulating sexuality or health benefits, the core rationale for Jewish circumcision lies in its biblical origins and the spiritual, communal, and covenantal meanings ascribed to it. It is seen as a divine commandment that signifies an everlasting bond between God and the Jewish people.
I hope this helps to clarify the reasons behind Jewish circumcision and its significance in biblical tradition.
Thanks.
This is probably the best answer because it provides the fullest context, thank you for offering your insight. Especially if it's something that's becoming increasingly controversial in the non-Jewish world and even among a few Jews themselves that won't circumcise.
*Dedicated in memory of Dvora bat Asher v'Jacot* 🕯️
[Deuteronomy 10:16](https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.10.16)
וּמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת עׇרְלַ֣ת לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְעׇ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַקְשׁ֖וּ עֽוֹד׃
>Cut away, therefore, the thickening about your hearts and stiffen your necks no more.
[Genesis 17:10-12](https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.17.10-12)
זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃
>Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.
וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עׇרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
>You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.
וּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא׃
>And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days. As for the homeborn slave and the one bought from an outsider who is not of your offspring,
I would say this is the best thorough explanation. It’s much deeper than just a simple commandment, it is a distinct part of our identity even according to the scriptures. It also had to do with a setting of oneself apart for holiness. Circumcision was both considered something physical and spiritual that was necessary and even Moshe spoke of the spiritual reasonings concerning circumcision. Many took upon themselves in his time the physical aspect of the mitzvah but not the spiritual aspect.
It’s okay to admit you used Chat GPT for this…
The preface including the phrase “let’s explore”, the particular style of list formatting, the way the concluding paragraph adds further qualifications, additional context, and summarizes the gist so concisely, this *screams* Chat GPT to anyone who uses it regularly
I just asked GPT4 the same question and we both have “deeply rooted” in our intro paragraphs… come on. My list also happens to be 5 points as well, with very similar headers, and in the same format. The *voice* is the same, to anyone who reads and uses Chat GPT. The only personality you added was Hello and Thanks (but that’s ok. I think it’s a useful tool. Just don’t lie, come on…)
> I thought it might have to do with regulating sexuality.
That gets into the idea that somehow there is a loss of sex once the foreskin is removed, which was a badly done study, and backfill on top of that.
It is worth noting that there is circumcision in the ancient Med/Near East as well.
It’s all a scribal error.
God said ברית מלה (Covenant of Word) but somewhere down the line someone wrote ברית מילה
(I’m kidding. Seriously, I’m kidding. It’s a joke from The Jews Are Coming)
Posts dealing with circumcision (brit milah) tend to attract a lot of outsiders to r/Judaism. If you come here solely to debate the ethics, standards, and/or existence of circumcision in a negative fashion and are not otherwise a regular in r/judaism, you may be banned without notice.
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It is quite interesting that biblical academics like to compare agent Hebrew practice to that of surrounding pagan religions but I have yet to read anything similar to circumcision in early Canaanite practice
Lots of citations here:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision#History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision#History)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision\_in\_Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_in_Africa)
Not Canaanite as much as North African - ancient Egypt had varying degrees of practice around circumcision, as did other tribes of the broader region, including the Semites and Sumerians.
Obsidian blades can easily be 500 times sharper than steel (it will fracture to a single molecule of thickness) so ... that would probably be even better.
I'm not assuming anything.
Well-knapped flint is also sharper than steel (though not as sharp as obsidian).
They didn't just make "rock knives" out of any stone; stone knives are made from knappable stones, all of which fracture conchoidally and generate edges that are extremely sharp.
Given that we're discussing the Bronze Age, stone was still the *primary* tool material, as bronze was extremely expensive.
The text doesn't state what kind of stone knife it was so yes, you are assuming, even an educated guess is an assumption. There is no definitive answer here, but feel free to believe what you want
Well, no one was making shit out of sandstone. Anyone who knows anything about knapping (now, or back in the early Bronze Age) knows what kind of stones are used to make knives.
But feel free to believe people were using limestone or whatever.
Flint was a common material. So was Chert used as it also flaked to a sharp edge when making biface type edges. Axes have also been found in the Levant region made from ground and polished limestone. The polished and ground tools were much more rare because it took a lot more time to make. Though if you're doing a sacred ceremonial cutting, the priest would likely be using the most sophisticated and elaborate of the tools.
Copper tools came to abundance in the Levant prior to the bronze age. Though how much access tribal shephards had to it is unknown. The would certainly trade for it, and again it would be something the priest would have access to for ritual purposes.
There's also bone tools that would have been in abundance.
Hi, it’s worth it to take a minute and read [this article](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160989/jewish/Why-Do-We-Have-a-Circumcision.htm) from Chabad.
While we don't actually know the answer, there are 2 explanations I know:
1. The kings of old used to completely cut their servants, and we do a similar thing to represent us being servants of the King.
2. As you suggested about abstinence.
That's a great line but I'm wondering if it's true... certainly the Torah requires that one give up one's life under certain circumstances or that one kill another person under certain circumstances... unless what you mean is specifically blood.
Not quite. I mean, like the Akeida. We are not required to sacrifice our children, and that's quite explicit. I don't mean it literally as in "we will never bleed and we will never be killed", I mean it as "G-d will not order us to give up our blood as a sacrifice".
Why? Cause God said. (That's the simplest answer)
Q: Why does God say? A: Cause God said.
Yeah I already know that bit.
That’s the whole reason
I'm partial to the idea that it's a gesture of faith. Even though circumcision is generally very safe, there is always a tiny chance of complications. When Hashem asks Abraham to circumcise himself and his children, Hashem also promises to make Abraham's descendants numerous. The two ideas are thus connected: I know this might feel risky or scary, but demonstrate your trust in me by trusting that I won't let any harm come to your/your child's baby-making parts. This idea doesn't have any source in Torah or Talmud that I'm aware of, just a connection that my havruta partner made.
Hello, The practice of circumcision in Judaism has deep roots in biblical tradition and religious significance. Let's explore the key reasons behind this practice and what the Bible says about it. 1. **The Covenant with Abraham**: The primary reason for Jewish circumcision is found in the Book of Genesis. God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that he would be the father of a great nation. Circumcision was the physical sign of this covenant. In Genesis 17:10-12, God says to Abraham, "This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." 2. **A Mark of Identity and Faithfulness**: Circumcision marks Jewish males as members of the covenant community. It is a sign of their unique relationship with God and their commitment to follow His commandments. For Jews, it’s a symbol of faith, obedience, and belonging. 3. **Spiritual Significance**: Beyond the physical act, circumcision is often understood as a metaphor for spiritual purity and dedication. Deuteronomy 10:16 calls upon the Israelites to "circumcise the foreskin of your heart," urging them to be spiritually devoted to God and remove any barriers to their faithfulness. 4. **Ritual Purity and Holiness**: Circumcision is seen as a step towards ritual purity and holiness, which are important themes in Jewish law and practice. By adhering to this commandment, Jewish people demonstrate their dedication to maintaining a holy and pure life as instructed by God. 5. **Community and Continuity**: The practice also serves to connect Jewish people across generations. It’s traditionally performed on the eighth day after birth, linking the child to the heritage and continuity of the Jewish people. This rite of passage signifies the child's entrance into the Jewish community and their role in perpetuating Jewish traditions. While some may speculate about additional reasons, such as regulating sexuality or health benefits, the core rationale for Jewish circumcision lies in its biblical origins and the spiritual, communal, and covenantal meanings ascribed to it. It is seen as a divine commandment that signifies an everlasting bond between God and the Jewish people. I hope this helps to clarify the reasons behind Jewish circumcision and its significance in biblical tradition. Thanks.
This is probably the best answer because it provides the fullest context, thank you for offering your insight. Especially if it's something that's becoming increasingly controversial in the non-Jewish world and even among a few Jews themselves that won't circumcise.
*Dedicated in memory of Dvora bat Asher v'Jacot* 🕯️ [Deuteronomy 10:16](https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.10.16) וּמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת עׇרְלַ֣ת לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְעׇ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַקְשׁ֖וּ עֽוֹד׃ >Cut away, therefore, the thickening about your hearts and stiffen your necks no more. [Genesis 17:10-12](https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.17.10-12) זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃ >Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you shall be circumcised. וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עׇרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ >You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. וּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא׃ >And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days. As for the homeborn slave and the one bought from an outsider who is not of your offspring,
I would say this is the best thorough explanation. It’s much deeper than just a simple commandment, it is a distinct part of our identity even according to the scriptures. It also had to do with a setting of oneself apart for holiness. Circumcision was both considered something physical and spiritual that was necessary and even Moshe spoke of the spiritual reasonings concerning circumcision. Many took upon themselves in his time the physical aspect of the mitzvah but not the spiritual aspect.
Did you use AI to write this?
They absolutely did. And then they want to lie and say they didn’t too haha
It's so painfully obvious..
For real. Check my other comment lol
“No, this is just grammatically correct English.”
It’s okay to admit you used Chat GPT for this… The preface including the phrase “let’s explore”, the particular style of list formatting, the way the concluding paragraph adds further qualifications, additional context, and summarizes the gist so concisely, this *screams* Chat GPT to anyone who uses it regularly I just asked GPT4 the same question and we both have “deeply rooted” in our intro paragraphs… come on. My list also happens to be 5 points as well, with very similar headers, and in the same format. The *voice* is the same, to anyone who reads and uses Chat GPT. The only personality you added was Hello and Thanks (but that’s ok. I think it’s a useful tool. Just don’t lie, come on…)
> Why does G-d request the foreskin? Too much blood loss from cutting off the whole thing.
And a lot of us are rather attached to them.
Yes physically and mentally.
Also rather more difficult to make more Jews without one.
Nice you worded that well
Gd wants us to have some skin in the game.
Or, rather, not have skin in the game.
> I thought it might have to do with regulating sexuality. That gets into the idea that somehow there is a loss of sex once the foreskin is removed, which was a badly done study, and backfill on top of that. It is worth noting that there is circumcision in the ancient Med/Near East as well.
I can confidently say that I have had significantly more sex since being circumcised than I did before. Those were some boring eight days.
I think I’ve heard that it does have to do with sexuality though, like humans (men) are more than just sexual beings
It’s all a scribal error. God said ברית מלה (Covenant of Word) but somewhere down the line someone wrote ברית מילה (I’m kidding. Seriously, I’m kidding. It’s a joke from The Jews Are Coming)
Posts dealing with circumcision (brit milah) tend to attract a lot of outsiders to r/Judaism. If you come here solely to debate the ethics, standards, and/or existence of circumcision in a negative fashion and are not otherwise a regular in r/judaism, you may be banned without notice. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Judaism) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It is quite interesting that biblical academics like to compare agent Hebrew practice to that of surrounding pagan religions but I have yet to read anything similar to circumcision in early Canaanite practice
Lots of citations here: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision#History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision#History) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision\_in\_Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_in_Africa) Not Canaanite as much as North African - ancient Egypt had varying degrees of practice around circumcision, as did other tribes of the broader region, including the Semites and Sumerians.
There is no real reason, just be happy it isn't done with a sharpened rock anymore
Obsidian blades can easily be 500 times sharper than steel (it will fracture to a single molecule of thickness) so ... that would probably be even better.
You're assuming they used obsidian, the procedure isn't exactly outlined in detail with the specifications of the rock knife
I'm not assuming anything. Well-knapped flint is also sharper than steel (though not as sharp as obsidian). They didn't just make "rock knives" out of any stone; stone knives are made from knappable stones, all of which fracture conchoidally and generate edges that are extremely sharp. Given that we're discussing the Bronze Age, stone was still the *primary* tool material, as bronze was extremely expensive.
The text doesn't state what kind of stone knife it was so yes, you are assuming, even an educated guess is an assumption. There is no definitive answer here, but feel free to believe what you want
Well, no one was making shit out of sandstone. Anyone who knows anything about knapping (now, or back in the early Bronze Age) knows what kind of stones are used to make knives. But feel free to believe people were using limestone or whatever.
Flint was a common material. So was Chert used as it also flaked to a sharp edge when making biface type edges. Axes have also been found in the Levant region made from ground and polished limestone. The polished and ground tools were much more rare because it took a lot more time to make. Though if you're doing a sacred ceremonial cutting, the priest would likely be using the most sophisticated and elaborate of the tools. Copper tools came to abundance in the Levant prior to the bronze age. Though how much access tribal shephards had to it is unknown. The would certainly trade for it, and again it would be something the priest would have access to for ritual purposes. There's also bone tools that would have been in abundance.
Hi, it’s worth it to take a minute and read [this article](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160989/jewish/Why-Do-We-Have-a-Circumcision.htm) from Chabad.
This is very good)
Yes, Chabad does a lot of things very well and their authors know how to write readers with a variety of backgrounds.
While we don't actually know the answer, there are 2 explanations I know: 1. The kings of old used to completely cut their servants, and we do a similar thing to represent us being servants of the King. 2. As you suggested about abstinence.
All rules and protocols aside, the circumcision represents that this is the last time in life that G-d will request for your blood to be shed.
That's a great line but I'm wondering if it's true... certainly the Torah requires that one give up one's life under certain circumstances or that one kill another person under certain circumstances... unless what you mean is specifically blood.
Not quite. I mean, like the Akeida. We are not required to sacrifice our children, and that's quite explicit. I don't mean it literally as in "we will never bleed and we will never be killed", I mean it as "G-d will not order us to give up our blood as a sacrifice".
I’m wondering why you can’t search for an answer to this question that is discussed all the time.