Uncovering What Is Already There

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In this week's parsha, Tazria, we have the mitzvah of Bris, circumcision, "When a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy... And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." 

There are two parts to the mitzvah of Bris. First that a boy should be circumcised, and that it should be done "on time," on the eighth day. And it would seem that if for some reason, the Bris could not be done "on time," for example, if he was sick and it would be dangerous to do it, when he finally has a Bris at a later time, the child would have the mitzvah of being circumcised, and we know that it is a mitzvah to have a Bris at a later time, because we say a blessing with Hashem's name, but the part about being "on time," would be lost. Even though it is in accordance with Torah law, because "saving a life pushes off (any obligation of) the whole Torah," It will help from now on, but it would seem that the time from the eighth day until the Bris is lost. 

The Rambam explains why we don't do a Bris on a sick baby. Because it puts his life in danger, and "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything, and the circumcision could be done at a later time, and it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever." 

The Rambam gives two reasons not to do the Bris. First, "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything," meaning, that even if it can't be done at a later time, because of the danger, it is okay, since saving a life takes precedence, Second, since "it could be done at a later time," which implies that it doesn't get pushed off at all, because it could be done at a later time. Meaning that if it's done at a later time, it will help for the time that passed and it would be considered on time. 

The only thing is that it won't be able to push off Shabbos, because our sages have a special teaching for that, it says, "On the (eighth) day, (meaning) even on Shabbos." Only when it's on the eighth day, does it push off Shabbos. 

This is difficult to understand, because: How can a Bris that is done in the future have an effect on the past? A physical act is done when it is done, it can't change the past. 

The only time the future can have an effect on the past, is when the act that is done in the future reveals or uncovers that it was truly that way all the time. Or when a deal is struck that is dependent on a future event, "if you do such and such next week, then it is yours from now." But when it comes to a Bris, it is done when it is done. An effect can't come before the cause. So how can a late Bris change the past, as if he had a Bris the whole time? And how can it be on time? 

Another question. The words of the Rambam, "And it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever," seem out of place. He places it after, "And the circumcision could be done at a later time," it would make more sense to put it after, "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything." Why does the Rambam put it after "it could be done at a later time"? 

The Alter Rebbe explains that the mitzvah of Bris draws a light from Hashem that is greater than any that could be drawn through the service of people. It is bestowed from above. It is a light that is in our essence, but it can't be revealed until he has a Bris, it is always there, but it is blocked until he has a Bris. 

The same thing is with the entry of the neshama into the body, it happens when he has a Bris. This doesn't mean that he doesn't have a neshama, rather, that it is blocked from effecting the world in the way a Jew is meant to. His neshama doesn't shine to the world until the Bris. It is always there but it is not revealed until the Bris. 

Since it is always there, it is not a new physical thing that didn't exist before, rather the Bris reveals what was always there. Therefore it could affect the past. And therefore it is considered on time, because when it is revealed it shows that it was always there, and if it was always there, it is by definition, on time. 

And now we will understand why the Rambam put the statement, "And it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever," after "And it could be done at a later time." Because it adds a deeper layer of understanding. 

The simple meaning is that "When a life is in danger, it pushes off everything," because "it is impossible (l'hachazir) to bring back one soul of Israel, ever." 

But it could be understood in a different way. The word l'hachazir, which means to bring back, could also mean to go back or undo. 

As explained above, "And the circumcision could be done at a later time," means that when a boy has a Bris at a later time, it helps for the time that he wasn't able to have it, this is because he was really always connected to Hashem, as every Jewish person is always connected to Hashem. 

A Jew is actually one with Hashem. And it is the deepest part of the neshama that is one with Him. That is what is revealed with a Bris. This connection can never be undone, so the words of the Rambam could be understood as, "And it is impossible for a soul of Israel to go back (on his connection with Hashem), ever." 

And it works both ways, as the Talmud tells us that Hashem says, "Whatever may be, they are My children, and to trade them for another nation (G-d forbid) is impossible." 

Hashem truly loves each and every one of us, we are one with Him and He is one with us. It is through serving Him in a way that is beyond our understanding, which the mitzvah of Bris represents - because it is done when a boy is a baby and doesn't understand what is being done - that we reveal the essence of our neshama, and draw the highest levels of G-dly light into the world. It is not something new, it is always there, because that is who we are. 

May we reveal our essence through serving Hashem beyond our understanding, and fill the world with G-dly light, this will surely hasten the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon.