Brit Milah: A simkha and not surgery TB Nedarim 31

One of the mishnayot on today's daf TB Nesarim 31 provides another example of the rule "with regard to vows, follow the colloquial language-בִנְדָרִים הַלֵּךְ אַחַר לְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם." One of the physical characteristics that differentiate Jews from other nations is the obligation of circumcision. Only after World War II did circumcision amongst Americans and Europeans become widespread. The Mishnah points out that when a person makes a vow not to benefit from the uncircumcised, he means only non-Jews. 

"MISHNA: If one says: Benefiting from those who are uncircumcised is konam for me, he is permitted to derive benefit from uncircumcised Jews because they are not regarded as uncircumcised, but he is prohibited from deriving benefit from the circumcised of the nations of the world.

״Conversely, if he said: Benefiting from those who are circumcised is konam for me, he is prohibited from deriving benefit even from uncircumcised Jews and he is permitted to derive benefit from the circumcised of the nations of the world, as the term uncircumcised is used only to name the nations of the world, as it is stated: “For all the nations are uncircumcised, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart” (Jeremiah 9:25), and it says: “And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be” (I Samuel 17:36), and it says: “Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph” (II Samuel 1:20). These verses indicate that ordinary gentiles are referred to as uncircumcised, regardless of whether they are actually circumcised." (Sefaria.com translation)

Today there is a movement against circumcision. Even some Jews are influenced and are reluctant to circumcise their baby boys. When I was a rabbi in Springfield, Massachusetts the Jewish Educational Resource Center had a VHS entitled Simkha or Surgery. The premise of this program was circumcision, brit milah, isn't surgery to rectify the problem. Brit milah is simkha, a joyous occasion celebrating the entrance of a Jewish boy into the covenant of Abraham with God. After surgery one does not invite the community to a festive meal, but we do after a brit milah!

The Mishna extols the greatness of this mitzvah. 

"Rabbi Yishmael says: So great is the mitzva of circumcision that thirteen covenants were sealed with regard to it, for the word covenant appears thirteen times in the biblical passage that discusses circumcision (Genesis, chapter 17).

"Rabbi Yosei says: So great is the mitzva of circumcision that it overrides the strict halakhot of Shabbat, as circumcision is performed even if the eighth day following the birth of a son occurs on Shabbat, despite the fact that circumcision violates the prohibition of labor on Shabbat.

"Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: Great is the mitzva of circumcision, as is evident from the fact that the punishment of Moses the righteous for not circumcising his son when he was capable of doing so was not postponed for even a full hour (see Exodus 4:24–26).

"Rabbi Neḥemya says: So great is the mitzva of circumcision that it overrides the prohibitions associated with leprosy. If leprosy is found on the foreskin of an infant, although it is generally prohibited to cut the afflicted area, it is permitted to do so to perform the mitzva of circumcision. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: So great is the mitzva of circumcision that despite all the mitzvot that Abraham our Patriarch did, he was not called wholehearted until he circumcised himself, as it is stated at the time that the mitzva was given to him: “Walk before Me and you should be wholehearted” (Genesis 17:1).

"Alternatively, so great is the mitzva of circumcision that if not for it the Holy One, Blessed be He, would not have created His world, as it is stated: “Thus says the Lord: If My covenant be not with day and night, I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 33:25), and the covenant that exists day and night is the covenant of circumcision, as it is always found on the person’s body." (Sefaria.org translation)

The Ran adds one more proof how great and important brit milah is. "The mitzvah of brit milah is more important than all the other 612 commitments put together  found in the Torah." (My loose translation)

If you are on the fence whether your Jewish son or grandson should have a brit milah, remember how great and important this mitzvah is and it's a simkha, not surgery.