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BEGIN WITH A GRIN

A traffic cop dies and faces his Creator. The heavenly court says: Your good and bad deeds are equal and therefore, you can choose where you want to go, to Gan Eden or Gehinom.

The cop asks, “Can I stay at the intersection?”

DON’T JUST SIT THERE, DO SOMETHING!

Parshas Lech Lecha tells us about the many adventures that Avrohom Avinu experienced (the journey to the land and the great famine there, the war of the four kings, etc.) until the parsha concludes with the story of the bris mila that Avrohom performed at age 99!

The mitzva of mila holds an important place in Toras Yisrael; it is the first mitzva that Avrohom Avinu was commanded to do, and it is one of the mitzvos that (almost) every Jew, wherever he may be, performs. A deep study of the sources reveals that there are three central elements in the mitzva of mila: a) The act of mila itself, the actual performance of the circumcision b) The fact that the Jew is mahul (circumcised) c) The fact that he is not orel (uncircumcised).

At first glance, these three components appear completely identical – one who (a) performs mila is (b) mahul and therefore also (c) not orel. In a superficial reading, this seems like mere wordplay or purposeless philosophizing and an attempt to break down something that really has no benefit in being analyzed.

However, according to halacha, these are not merely theoretical definitions, but they have practical halachic implications. For example, someone who is born mahul (and this does happen) has two aspects of the mitzva of mila – he is mahul and not orel, but he lacks the act of mila. Therefore, he must have a hatafas dam bris (drawing of covenant blood). Until then, he is considered as one who has not yet fulfilled the mitzva.

Another example: someone who is born with two orlos (foreskins) and only one was removed – the act of mila was performed and he is also mahul – yet he remains orel. He too has not fulfilled the mitzva, and he must also fulfill the third aspect of the mitzva – to not be orel.

Conversely, an opposite example: the ‘moshech orlaso’ (one who stretches his foreskin to cover up his circumcision) after having already fulfilled the mitzva of mila – he has, indeed, performed the act of the mitzva, and he is also not considered orel (and therefore is permitted to eat terumah) but he is not mahul.

Since the mitzva of mila is so important and central to Toras Yisrael, its three components mentioned above teach us an important moral lesson, in life in general and particularly about the way to bring the Geula.

First and foremost, the first component teaches us that in order to connect with the Creator, a Jew needs to do something. Action is required from the Jew (like the act of mila). A Jew’s connection with Hashem cannot exist through innate characteristics and environmental conditions alone; it’s not enough that we were born Jewish and we are Jewish in our hearts, or alternatively, that we live in Eretz Yisrael. In order to connect and bond with G-d one must DO something! Put on tefillin, give tzedaka, say a bracha, help others, because our inner connection to G-d begins through action.

Every performance of a mitzva brings positive results. The required result from performing a mitzva should be twofold, similar to the act of mila. Just as the act of mila brings a double result: being ‘mahul’ and ‘not orel,’ so too every mitzva should bring a double result: “Sur mei’ra v’aseh tov” (Turn from evil and do good). ‘Sur mei’ra’ is akin to the Jew being ‘not orel’ – he is not subject to the control of the evil inclination and desires, while ‘aseh tov’ is akin to the Jew being ‘mahul’ – he reveals the light of goodness and holiness in himself and his surroundings.

WHAT YOU DO IS WHAT YOU GET

This sounds very nice, but what is the practical instruction learned from this? And where is the message and connection to Geula?

As mentioned above, each of the three components of bris mila carries practical implications. The practical implication from the law of ‘nolad mahul’ (born circumcised) in avodas Hashem is: There are those who are ‘born circumcised’; by their very nature they are indifferent to physical matters and worldly desires, they ‘turn from evil’ almost automatically like one who flees from fire, and simultaneously they have a natural attraction to matters of holiness, they ‘do good’ almost like a machine on autopilot. What is lacking for such ‘tzaddikim’? What is still required of such people?

What is required of them is to ‘draw the blood of the covenant,’ meaning to work and toil beyond nature. Not to be satisfied with their innate goodness, but rather to toil in order to clarify, refine, and purify the essence of the person more and more.

And the connection to Geula: The Gemara states (Sanhedrin 110b) “From what age does a child merit Olam Haba? From the time he is circumcised.” This means that the reward for fulfilling the mitzva of mila is Techiyas Ha’meisim (Resurrection of the Dead). Additionally, it is stated elsewhere in the Gemara (Eruvin 19a) that Avrohom Avinu sits at the entrance of Gehinom and he removes from there anyone who is not orel.

This double reward for fulfilling the mitzva of mila – a) exit from Gehinom and b) life after Techiyas Ha’meisim – is connected to the double result of the mitzva of mila. Since the mitzva of mila causes ‘turn from evil,’ therefore its reward is exit from Gehinom, the Jew turns (exits) from evil (Gehinom). Additionally, since the mitzva of mila also causes ‘do good,’ therefore its reward is (also) life after Techiyas Ha’meisim, the Jew receives additional life for all the good he did.

Let us conclude with an encouraging Medrash, with which the Rebbe concludes this sicha. On the verse: “Look at the covenant, for the dark places of the land have been filled” (Tehillim 74:20), the Medrash (Aggadas Bereishis 17) says “Look at the covenant – even though Yisrael may not have good deeds, HaKadosh Boruch Hu will redeem them in the merit of mila,” with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu very soon.

TO CONCLUDE WITH A STORY

Let us conclude with a story about a bris mila that saves from Gehinom. On the 4th of Shevat in the year 5567, the grandson of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev was circumcised, and he was named “Moshe Yehuda Leib.”

After the festive meal, the father of the baby asked his father-in-law after whom he had named the child. Reb Levi Yitzchok told the following story:

Today, when I woke up in the morning, I saw great darkness covering the world, for the tzaddik Rebbe Moshe Yehuda Leib of Sassov had departed from this world.

Suddenly I heard a voice announcing: “Make way for Rebbe Moshe Yehuda Leib ben Reb Yaakov, and come out to greet him!”

The neshama of the tzaddik, Reb Moshe Leib, left the heavenly assembly and ran toward the entrance of Gehinom.

At that time, a great commotion arose in the upper world because Reb Moshe Leib the tzaddik went to Gehinom. Immediately, an order was given to the minister of Gehinom not to ignite the fire as long as the tzaddik was present there.

The minister came to Reb Moshe Leib and asked him to leave the place, since as long as he was there, he had no permission to use the fire. The tzaddik replied: “I will not move from here until all the neshamos found here leave with me.” The minister asked him: “Why?” Reb Moshe Leib answered: “During my lifetime, I engaged in pidyon shvuyim (redemption of captives) and saved many souls, therefore I wish to save souls from their captivity here as well.”

The minister went to the heavenly court and reported Reb Moshe Leib’s claim. They decided to bring the case before the Throne of Glory. When the court messenger came to him and informed him of the summons, the tzaddik replied: “All the days of my life I held fast to one mitzva and gave my soul for it – and now, here in the world of truth, shall I not fulfill it?! I will not move from here until I fulfill this mitzva,” and he insisted on standing his ground.

Then he raised his eyes to the Throne of Glory and said: “Master of the universe! You know how great the mitzva of pidyon shvuyim is, and because of its great importance, You performed it Yourself, not through an angel and not through a messenger, for when Yisrael were in Mitzrayim, You descended in Your glory to redeem them from the house of bondage. I held to Your attribute; all my days I toiled in this mitzva and all captives were worthy in my eyes, I did not distinguish between tzaddik and rasha, and here I have found so many captives, therefore I wish to fulfill the same mitzva. And if not, I prefer to remain with them in Gehinom and suffer like them, rather than sit with the tzaddikim and enjoy the radiance of the Shechina.”

Immediately, G-d ruled that Reb Moshe Leib could redeem the same number of captives in Gehinom as he redeemed in his lifetime. Battalions of neshamos left Gehinom with him at their head, as he brought them to Gan Eden.

Good Shabbos!

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