ואתנה בריתי ביני ובינך (שם יז ב), אמר ר' חנינא בן פזי לא היה יודע אברהם מהיכן לימול, רמז לו הקב"ה ואמר מהיכן לימול. וארבה אותך ממקום שאתה פרה ורבה. בר קפרא אומר קל וחומר דרש אברהם, ומה אילנות מהיכן חייבין בערלה, ממקום שהן עושין פרי, אף אני ממקום שאני עשה פרי אני צריך לימול. (Gen. 17:2:) AND LET ME PUT MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND YOU. R. Hanina ben Pazzi said: Abraham did not know where to be circumcised.112Tanh. Gen. 3:18; similarly Gen. R. 46:4; Lev. R. 25:6. The Holy One gave him a hint to tell < him > where to be circumcised (in Gen.17:2, cont.): AND LET ME MULTIPLY YOU, < i.e., > out of the place from which you are fruitful and multiply. Bar Qappara said: Abraham had interpreted < according to the principle of > qal wahomer.113The rabbinic term for an argument a fortiori. There is a comparison with trees. Where do they have an obligation concerning foreskin? At the place where they produce fruit.114So Lev. 19:23, which can be translated as follows: WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND AND PLANT ANY TREE FOR FOOD. YOU SHALL LEAVE ITS FORESKIN, < i.e., > ITS FRUIT, UNCIRCUMCISED. THREE YEARS IT SHALL BE UNCIRCUMCISED FOR YOU IT SHALL NOT BE EATEN. I also must be circumcised at the place where I produce fruit.
ויפל אברהם על פניו (שם שם ג), עד שלא מל היה נופל, משמל לא נפל, והרשעים אינן יורדין לגיהנם אלא שביל הערלה, שנאמר לכן הרחיבה שאול נפשה וגו' (ישעיה ה יד), אבל לעולם הבא הקב"ה מציל את ישראל מגיהנם בזכות המילה, שנאמר לא תירא לביתה משלג כי כל ביתה לבוש שנים (משלי לא כא). (Gen. 17:3:) THEN ABRAHAM FELL ON HIS FACE. Before he performed circumcision, he would fall < on his face before the Holy One >.115Tanh., Gen. 3:20. After he performed circumcision he did not fall < on his face >. Moreover, the wicked go down into Gehinnom only because of foreskin, as stated (in Is. 5:14): THEREFORE SHEOL HAS ENLARGED ITS DESIRE < AND OPENED ITS MOUTH FOR THOSE WITHOUT A STATUTE > (i.e., without circumcision). In the world to come, however, the Holy One will save Israel from Gehinnom by virtue of circumcision, as stated (in Prov. 31:21): SHE (i.e., Israel) HAS NO FEAR FOR HER HOUSEHOLD ON ACCOUNT OF (Gehinnom's) SNOW BECAUSE ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE DRESSED IN SCARLET.116Scarlet is the color of the blood from circumcision. Buber suggests reading SCARLET as TWICE in accordance with PRK 10:4, according to which the household of Israel wears the two parts of circumcision, the cutting off of the foreskin and the rolling back of the inner lining of the prepuce.
חסלת לך לך The End of < Parashat > Lekh-Lekha.