Walk Alone

Of the many important events and interactions discussed in this week’s Parsha, perhaps none is as impactful on our lives as the Mitzvah of Bris Milah—a Mitzvah which is still very much a part of our identity as Yidden. To this day, the birth of a baby boy is marked by a festive celebration of this Mitzvah because Milah is not just a Mitzvah that we do because we are members of the Am HaNivchar, but in a way it is what makes us so: a baby boy is considered a full-fledged Jew only after he undergoes his Bris Milah. Thus, when the Bris is done we celebrate not only the Mitzvah itself, but also the entrance of the child into the nation of his forefathers.

This Mitzvah was singularly impactful on the life of the Av Hamon Goyim as well. It was at the time that he received the Tzivuy of Milah that Avrom’s name was switched to Avrohom—indicating that he was no longer the person he had prior been. How he changed, in what way Milah transformed Avrohom, is not immediately clear but is perhaps alluded to in the Pessukim that describe the Tzivuy he received.

The Torah tells us that when Hashem spoke to Avrom about Milah, He began with an introduction of sorts: “Hishalech Lifani V’Heyeh Samim.” These four words, which are still recited at each Bris Milah, seem to encapsulate the purpose of the Bris. In some way when a baby undergoes Milah, he is completed, and becomes Tamim. But if this is the case, if the “V’Heyeh Samim” is a result of the Bris, why didn’t Hashem first give Avrohom the Tzivuy of Milah and then tell him the outcome of his actions? It would have been understandable for the impact of the Mitzvah to follow its details—why in this case was it said in the reverse?

The words “Hishalech Lifani” require explanation as well. This is the introduction to the Mitzvah of Milah, and certainly seems to be tied to the aspect of “V’Heyeh Samim”, but it is difficult to understand what exactly they mean. Rashi explains these words, based on their Targum, as “Hisdabek B’Avodasi,” but this would seem to be generally true: would not Hashem want Avrohom to cling to his Avodah, to be Misdbek to the Shechina, in any case? How is this directly related to Bris Milah to the point that these words are the very introduction to this Mitzvah?

There is a more general question about the Tzivuy of Bris Milah as well. The Mishna in Avos tells us that Avrohom underwent Asara Nisyonos, and while there are varying opinions as to exactly what they were, Bris Milah is almost universally included in the set. We must therefore understand what the Nisayon of Milah was—why is this Mitzvah included among others, such as the Kivshon HaEsh, which clearly required a level of Sakanas Nefshos?

The Shem M’Shmuel discusses the Nisayon aspect of Bris Milah, and perhaps we can understand the Pessukim based on his approach.

As we know, the defining Midah of Avraham Avinu was Chesed, which was driven by his desire to bring as many people as possible “Tachas Kanfei HaShechina.” In this sense, he was the very first “Kiruv worker”, seeking to draw close those who did not yet appreciate the presence of Hakadosh Baruch Hu in this world. As such, Avrohom can be described as the ultimate “Yemin Mekareves”, one who lived his life to bring people closer.

In some ways, explains the Shem M’Shmuel, the Mitzvah of Milah stands opposed to this Middah. By excising the Orlah, we show that there is a part of the body that in some way inhibits us, prevents us from being complete, and must therefore be eliminated. This is related to the Middah of “S’mol Dochek”: we push away that which is less than ideal.

This was the Nisayon of Bris Milah: its very essence goes against everything Avrohom lived for. His Mehalech was to bring people closer, to assume that despite their shortcomings they could be made into Ovdei Hashem and be elevated. The idea of pushing something away because it was not perfect, even something as physical as the Orlah, was completely foreign to him. In this way, Avrohom had to overcome his natural inclination in order to fulfil the Ratzon Hashem—a Nisayon we are all quite familiar with, to an extent.

The Shem M’Shmuel explains that when Avrohom was confronted with this Nisayon, Hashem explained to him that, while the act of Milah seemed to go against his personality, it would in fact complete him. A person cannot live with only the Middah of “Yimin Mekareves” just as he cannot only exhibit the trait of “S’mol Dochek”, a balance is required. By achieving this balance, using each Middah in the appropriate measure and under the correct circumstances, one can become a Tamim. Thus, for Avrohom, the introduction of the Mitzvah of Milah enabled him to become Tamim because it brought the characteristic of “S’mol Dochek” into his life, which had until that point been defined by pure “Yemin Mekareves”.

Perhaps we can understand the words “Hishalech Lifanai” based on this idea as well.

The Medrash Tanchuma contrasts these words, said to Avrohom, with those used in last week’s Parsha to describe Noach: “Es HaElokim Hishalech Noach.” The Medrash says that if one would read these Pessukim he would assume that Noach was greater than Avrohom. After all Noach walked with Hashem Himself, whereas Avrohom was told to walk “Lifanai”, in front of, and separate from, Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

This is a mistake however. The Medrash goes on to explain that Noach required Hashem to walk with him in order to extricate him from the filth and depravity of his Dor, in which he was mired. Avrohom, on the other hand, was Yachid B’Doro, he was not mixed up with those around him, but separate from them, and therefore did not require Hashem to remove him from their midst. Avraham, the Ivri, able to walk on his own, was told “Hishalech Lifanai”, but Noach relied on the assistance of “Es HaElokim Hishalech Noach”.

Confronted with the Mitzvah of Milah, Avraham was torn: on one hand, he wished to fulfil the Ratzon Hashm and remove his Orlah. On the other hand, he was defined by the Midah of Yemin Mekareves which was the opposite of Milah. Perhaps by telling Avrohom that he could walk alone, that he was capable of “Hishalech Lifanei”, Hashem was also explaining how he could resolve this quandry.

When one lives amongst those who can influence him in a negative way, he has two choices: he can lead a life of “Yemin Mekareves” or one of “S’mol Dochek.” Either, he can attempt to affect those around him, helping them to improve and thereby eliminating their ability to have a negative impact on him, or he can lead an insular life, removing himself from them in totality, and not allowing them to affect him at all. Avrohom led a life of “Yemin Mekareves”, seeking to positively affect those around him, and the aspect of “S’Mol Docheck” was foreign to him.

When Hashem said “Hishalech Lifanai” however, he was telling Avrohom that he was different. As the Ivri, the one who had followed the dictate of Lech Lecha, Avrohom was removed from the Umos HaOlam—though they may have been close in physical proximity, they were worlds removed spiritually. Because he had succeeded in this way, he no longer had to chose between “Yemin Mekareves” or “S’mol Dochek”, he could lead the life of a Tamim, utilizing the each Middah at the appropriate time.

It is for this reason that these words are an introduction to the Mitzvah of Milah, and not a conclusion. Yes, the act of Milah completes a person, but for Avrohom, the realization that he could live as a Tamim was a prerequisite for Milah. It was only now that he had reached this point that he could walk alone, that he could be the Hishalech Lifanai, was he ready to accept the role of Tamim.

By fulfilling the Mitzvah of Milah, Avrohom indeed transformed himself. Not only was he now a “Mahul”, someone who had removed his Orlah, but he now had brought the Middah of “S’mol Dochek” into his life as well, to compliment that of “Yemin Mekareves”, which he had already mastered.

When a new baby is brought into the Bris of Avrohom Avinu, by virtue of the fact that he is counted among the Bnei Avrohom, he is imbued with the Middos of “Yemin Mekareves” and “S’mol Dochek”. We each therefore have the potential to achieve the balance of Tamim, and use these Middos in the appropriate measure. We must remember, however, that the precursor to the level of Tamim is “Hishalech Lifanai”. Only when we remove ourselves from that which surrounds us do we have the luxury of choosing which of these Middos to employ at a given time.

If we are mired in the culture and influence of the Umos HaOlam we are not yet capable of achieving the balance of Tamim gifted to us by Avrohom Avinu. If we choose the path of the Ivri, however, and try to remove ourselves from their midst, our potential is unending, and we can truly achieve the level of Hisdabek B’Avodasi and D’veykus to the Shechina.