BH

The Almighty created the world with such precise synchronizing harmony that’s it is hard to imagine what role we could have in it. Seasons come and go, life grows, the earth is protected by a cushy atmosphere that provides the perfect conditions for life… so what exactly can we improve on?

In fact when you think about it any desire to improve the world should seem arrogant; who are you to think that you can improve perfection? However this is not so, in fact G-d specifically created the world with some imperfections in order to give us the opportunity to improve it, and our improvements actually cause this world becomes a true dwelling place for the Almighty. In addition to the world at large, every person is also characterized as a tiny universe, so that every improvement we make upon ourselves is not simply self-contained but rather affects the world at large (so that it is now a different world)!

One the imperfections that man are created with is a foreskin; according to the Talmud, it is undesirable. The Zohar characterized it as the effect of the primordial snake on mankind; the Arizal explains that it prevents a person’s inner light from shining.

Even though the natural state of the person is to have a foreskin, the Almighty gives it to us in order that we should remove it and have a part with him in perfecting ourselves and furthermore, the world at large. This is part of the overarching significance that a Bris plays in the life of the infant or an adult. Bris Milah is however a lifetime commitment. For us, it means that we must always work on those undesirable traits that we have, even if they are G-d given in order to make us and as a result, this world a better place.  Some of us struggle with anger, laziness, depression, jealousy and the like, and we know that it’s not good. We would never claim that it’s a G-d given and therefore desirable. Rather, we know that we must correct these traits. This is our Bris. We improve from day to day even if it’s a truly tiny improvements because this is the struggle that we were given and it will bring out the best in us and allow our inner light to shine.

So next time you attend a Bris, realize that it’s not just the baby who is having a Bris, but rather all of us who try to make today better than yesterday… and tomorrow better than today.

Signing off,

Rabbi Yehoshua Levin, Certified Mohel

BrisUSA.com