Simkha not surgery! TB Shabbat 130

Today’s daf TB Shabbat 130 begins the 18^th chapter of our massechet which discusses the laws of a brit milah on Shabbat. When many people speak about this ritual they abbreviate it by using the Ashkenazic pronunciation as having a “bris.” The Hebrew word brit (ברית) means covenant. The Jewish people have a covenantal relationship with the Holy One Blessed be He. The mitzvot are our obligation of this covenant. The sign of this covenant is circumcision or in Hebrew milah (מילה). A baby boy on the eighth day enters the covenant and has his brit milah. Although one is not allowed to create a wound on Shabbat, everybody agrees that baby boy’s, who is born via the birth canal (not via a C-section), brit milah procedure overrides the Sabbath. The first Mishna tells the disagreement between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva (representing the sages) to what degree one is permitted to violate the Shabbat.

“MISHNA: As a continuation to the discussion at the end of the previous chapter, which mentioned circumcision in the context of a discussion of the halakhot of childbirth on Shabbat, the mishna continues to address the halakhot of circumcision. Rabbi Eliezer says: If he did not bring an implement for circumcising the child on Shabbat eve, he brings it on Shabbat itself uncovered so that it will be clear to all that he is bringing a circumcision scalpel. And in times of danger, when decrees of persecution prohibit Jews from circumcising their children, one covers it in the presence of witnesses who can testify that he transported the scalpel to perform a mitzva. And furthermore, Rabbi Eliezer said with regard to this issue: One may even cut down trees to prepare charcoal in order to fashion iron tools for the purpose of circumcision.

“A principle was stated by Rabbi Akiva: Any prohibited labor that can be performed on Shabbat eve does not override Shabbat, including transporting the circumcision scalpel. However, any prohibited labor involved in the mitzva of circumcision itself that cannot be performed on Shabbat eve overrides Shabbat.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rabbi Eliezer holds a most liberal position. Any preparation needed for the sake of the brit milah overrides the Sabbath. “It was stated that Rabbi Levi said: Rabbi Eliezer only stated this ruling to express affection for the mitzvah…(Even though the  halkhah follows Rabbi Akiva, God shows His approval of this approach by the following story-gg) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There was one city in Eretz Yisrael where they would act in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer with regard to circumcision, and they would die at their appointed time and not earlier, as a reward for their affection for this mitzva. And not only that, but on one occasion the wicked empire, Rome, issued a decree against the Jewish people prohibiting circumcision; but against that city it did not issue the decree.” (Sefaria.org translation)

We have always emphasized the simkhah, joy, of the brit milah over its surgery. It’s usually done in the baby’s home surrounded by family and friends. Following each brit milah, the family celebrates by having a lavish mitzvah meal and invites everybody in attendance to join in the simkhah, celebrating a new Jewish life. Obviously a baby girl cannot have a brit milah, but she can have a bat brit. I’m glad that there is a growing number of modern ceremonies welcoming a baby girl to our community and celebrating a new Jewish life. Just like her baby brother, she is surrounded by family and friends and everybody celebrates after the naming ritual with a lavish meal. For more information about a bat brit and how to create one, check out these two webpages: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/planning-executing-your-daughters-brit-bat/and https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-elements-of-a-brit-bat/

“Apropos affection for the mitzva of circumcision, the Gemara cites a baraita in which it was taught that Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Every mitzva that the Jews initially accepted upon themselves with joy, such as circumcision, as it is written: “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162), and as the Sages explained, this “word” refers to the mitzva of circumcision (which God first commanded Abraham-gg), over which they rejoiced, they still perform it with joy. And every mitzva that the Jews initially accepted upon themselves with contentiousness and regret, such as the prohibition against incestuous relations, as it is written: “And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family” (Numbers 11:10), and as the Sages interpreted homiletically: They wept over matters pertaining to their families, as they were prohibited at that time from marrying family members, they still perform with contentiousness. The fact is that there is no marriage contract and wedding in which contentiousness does not arise, as there is inevitably some conflict between the parties. The baraita asserts that this is because, initially, the Jews did not accept the laws governing marriage and family relationships willingly.” (Sefaria.org translation)

This daf brings back so many fond memories. When I first moved to Springfield, MA, Rev Abramson was still the town’s mohel, the trained person who did the circumcision. He circumcised my first two sons. If he had to do a brit milah on Shabbat, he would leave all his equipment where the circumcision was going to take place Friday afternoon. I know that he walked miles on Saturday so he could observe all the laws according to Rabbi Akiva. Every one of my five granddaughter’s bat brit was beautiful, moving, and as joyous as each one of my grandson’s brit milah. 

I even have a story about the inevitable conflict between the marrying families. Today in America the ketubah, marriage contract, is pro forma. We let the secular courts decide all monetary and family matters when a marriage dissolves. Apparently that’s not necessarily so in Israel. I once attended a friend’s marriage in Israel. When the Rabbi was filling out the ketubah and came to the spot where the sum of money the groom promises to pay out to the bride if he should die (like an insurance policy) or if he divorces her (like alimony), the groom offered the classical minimum amount required by the rabbis. The Rabbi argued with him that his bride is worth much more than that and made him agree to a higher amount of shekolim! I’m glad to say the Rabbi won this argument.