Lech Lecha
[print-me[
The passuk states בעצם היום הזה נימול אברהם וישמעאל בנו. Rashi explains בעצם, that on the day that Avraham completed his 99th year and Yishmael completed his 13th year they were circumcised. Onkelos translates the word בעצם as בכרן or בקרן, as the כ’ and ק’ are interchangeable. The Ramban explains קרן means a horn which reflects the strength of an animal, as animals fight with their horns. The word בעצם teaches that this day had unique strength and power. Hashem performed a miracle that on this day, in such a short time, 320 people were circumcised. This means each person, young or old, was circumcised in about 2 ½ minutes! The Ramban understands differently, בעצם teaches that on the day itself that Avraham was commanded, he, Yishmael, and his 318 servants were all circumcised. This reflects Avraham’s yiras Hashem, along with his entire household; they were all זריזין מקדימין למצות, quick to perform mitzvos.
The passuk states ויקח אברהם את ישמעאל בנו ואת כל ילידי ביתו ואת כל מקנת כספו… וימל…. The following passuk states that Avraham was circumcised. The Ramban explains that the pessukim reflect an order: first Avraham circumcised Yishmael and his entire household, and afterwards he was circumcised.
There is a pressing question: The Gemara brings that the entire day is fitting to do milah, however the earlier the better, as we know זריזין מקדימין למצות. We learn this out from Avraham himself as it states in next week’s parsha וישכם אברהם בבקר and Avraham arose early in the morning. Why then didn’t Avraham have himself circumcised first, before his entire household?
The Ramban answers that had Avraham done his circumcision first he would have been sick and in danger because of his age and he would not have been able to be involved with taking care of the others’ circumcisions. Avraham was נזדרז and he first circumcised his household (or he prepared many mohalim for them and he stood over them to overlook the milah,) and afterwards he had himself circumcised. The middah of zrizus does not only mean to be the first and quick to perform a mitzvah, but also to be ready and prepared to fulfill mitzvos.
When Avraham heard about Lot being captured the passuk states “וירק את חניכיו” which Onkelos translates וזרז and he armed his young lads to go to battle. The lashon זרז reflects being ready and prepared to do and accomplish. We see that a zariz is one who is prepared and ready to fulfil the mitzvos. Avraham is our role model of zerizus, he did his utmost to fulfill all of Hashem’s mitzvos, and therefore he first circumcised everyone else and only afterwards himself!
May we learn from Avraham Avinu to always be prepared and ready to perform all of Hashem’s mitzvos!
