Genesis Chapter 17

אני אל שדי I AM GOD ALMIGHTY — I am He whose (ש) Godship suffices (די) for every creature (Genesis Rabbah 46:3), therefore, ‘‘walk before Me”, and I will be your God and Protector. Similarly, wherever in the Scriptures this Divine Name שדי occurs, it signifies the idea of His sufficiency — but it all depends upon the context as to what the “sufficiency” refers to.

התהלך לפני WALK BEFORE ME — as the Targum takes it: worship before Me — cleave to My service.

והיה תמים AND BE PERFECT — This, too, is a command following upon the previous command: be whole-hearted in all the trials I impose upon you. According to the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 46:4), however, it means: walk before Me by observing the precept of circumcision and through this you will become perfect, for so long as you are uncircumcised I regard you as having a blemish. Another explanation of היה תמים BE THOU PERFECT — at present you lack the power of controlling morally five organs, viz., two eyes, two ears and the membrum. Therefore will I add a letter (i. e. the letter 'ה the numerical value of which is five) to your name (אברם which equals 243) so that the total of the letters of your name (אברהם) will become 248, corresponding to the number of limbs of your body (cf. Nedarim 32b).

ואתנה בריתי AND I WILL MAKE MY COVENANT — a covenant of love and a covenant regarding the land — to give it to you as an inheritance through your observance of this precept.

ויפל אברם על פניו AND ABRAM FELL UPON HIS FACE through fear of the Shechinah, because before he was circumcised he did not have the strength to stand on his feet whilst the Holy Spirit stood over him; and it is to this that what is stated in the case of the heathen Balaam refers, (Numbers 24:4) “fallen down, yet with open eyes”. This is to be found in Baraitha of R. Eliezer (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29).

כי אב המון גוים FOR A FATHER OF A MULTIDUDE OF NATIONS — An acrostic on his name [אב (ר) הם]. But the ר which was previously in his name — denoting that he was the father (chieftain) only of אב (א) רם] ארם] which was his native country (cf. Genesis 21:7 with verse Genesis 21:10 of the same chapter), whilst now he became father of the entire world — nevertheless was not taken out of his name. For we find also, that the 'י in Sarai’s name continued to complain to God that it had been removed from her name when this was changed to Sarah, until it was placed as an additional letter into the name יהושע, as it is said, (Numbers 13:16) “And Moses called Hoshea (הושע) the son of Nun, Joshua (יהושע)” (Genesis Rabbah 47:1).

ונתתיך לגוים AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF THEE — Israel and Edom only are intended here for Ishmael was already born to him and He could not, therefore, have been making any announcement concerning him.

והקמתי את בריתי AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT — And what is this Covenant? להיות לך לאלהים TO BE A GOD UNTO THEE.

לאחזת עולם FOR AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION — and there I will be your God; but whoever resides outside the land is as if he has no God (Ketubot 110b).

ואתה AND AS FOR THEE — This ו (of ואתה) connects this verse with the preceding matter (v. Gensis 17:4, thus setting ואתה of here in contrast with the ואני of there): “As for Me, behold My covenant is with thee” — “and as for thee, thou shalt be careful to keep it”. And what constitutes the “keeping” of it? THIS IS MY COVENANT WHICH YE SHALL KEEP… EVERY MALE AMONGST YOU [SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED].

'ביני וביניכם וגו BETWEEN ME AND YOU — “you” is plural and refers to all those belonging to Abraham who were then alive.

ובין זרעך אחריך AND THY SEED AFTER THEE — those who are yet to be born.

המול is an infinitive equal to לְהִמּוֹל just as you may say עַשׂוֹת in place of לעשות (i.e. the infinitive may be with or without ל prefixed).

ונמלתם AND YE SHALL CIRCUMCISE — This word, in spite of the נ in it, is not Niphal but the same as ומלתם and the נ in it is an addition to the root, which only sometimes appears in it, as, for example, the נ of נושך and of ונמלתם ;(נושא is Kal like ונשאתם “and ye shall carry” (Genesis 45:19), but יִמּוֹל (Genesis 17:12 and Genesis 17:13) is a Niphal form — “shall be circumcised” — like יֵעָשֶׂה “it shall be done”, and יֵאָכֵל “it shall be eaten”.

יליד בית HE THAT IS BORN IN THE HOUSE — one to whom a handmaid gave birth in the house.

מקנת כסף HE THAT IS BOUGHT WITH THY MONEY — one whom a person bought after his birth.

המול ימול יליד ביתך HE THAT IS BORN IN THY HOUSE MUST NEEDS BE CIRCUMCISED — Here the statement that one born in the house must be circumcised is repeated but it does not say “after eight days” as in 5:12, thus teaching you that there are some cases of those “born in the house” who have to be circumcised on the first day of birth, as is explained in Treatise Sabbath (Shabbat 135b).

וערל זכר AND THE UNCIRCUMCISED MALE — This phrase teaches that circumcision must be at that place where the distinction between male and female is evident (Genesis Rabbah 46:13).

אשר לא ימול HE WHO DOES NOT CIRCUMCISE HIMSELF) as soon as he reaches the age when he is legally liable to punishment, ונכרתה THEN HE SHALL BE CUT OFF — his father, however, who did not have him circumcised is not punished on his account with כרת (excision, “being cut off from his people”), but is merely transgressing an עשה “a positive commandment” (for which the punishment is flagellation).

ונכרתה הנפש THAT SOUL SHALL BE CUT OFF — i. e. he shall depart hence childless and shall suffer an untimely death.

לא תקרא את שמה שרי THOU SHALT NOT CALL HER NAME SARAI which means “my princess”— a princess to me and not to others — BUT SARAH, in a more general sense, SHALL BE HER NAME: she shall be princess over all (Berakhot 13a).

וברבתי אותה AND I WILL BLESS HER — And in what did the blessing consist? In that she resumed her youthfulness, as it is said, (Genesis 18:12) “shall I have the pleasure of youth again?” (Genesis Rabbah 47:2)

וברכתיה AND I WILL BLESS HER with teeming breasts — And this happened when she really needed this on the day of Isaac’s feast. For people were speaking spitefully about them, that they had adopted a foundling from the street saying, “This is our son.” Every one, therefore, brought her child with her, but did not bring the wet-nurse and she (Sarah) suckled all of them. To this refers that which is said (Genesis 21:7) “Sarah has given suck to children”. In Genesis Rabbah 47:2 this is alluded to in part.

ויפל אברהם על פניו ויצחק AND ABRAHAM FELL UPON HIS FACE AND LAUGHED — This word ויצחק Onkelos translates by וחדי which signifies joy (“and he rejoiced’’) but the similar verb in the case of Sarah (ותצחק Genesis 18:12) he translates as meaning laughter. From this you may understand that Abraham had faith and rejoiced, and that Sarah had no faith and sneered, and that is why God was angry with Sarah (when she laughed) but was not angry with Abraham.

הלבן SHALL A CHILD BE BORN TO ONE WHO IS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD? — There are some questions expressing astonishment which do not imply a doubt but rather affirm the certainty that the circumstance referred to has happened or will happen, as (1 Samuel 2:2) “Did I reveal myself [unto thy father’s house?]” (Of course, I did) and (Ezekiel 8:6) “Seest thou what they do?” (You, of course, have seen it). This question, too, affirms the certainty that it is possible for God to cause Abraham, at the age of hundred, to beget a son and this is in effect what he said to himself: Would there be done to another man one hundred years old this favour that the Holy One, blessed be He, is doing to me”? (Rashi means that the words must be translated, “would a child be born to any other person who is a hundred years old?”).

ואם שרה הבת תשעים שנה OR SHALL SARAH, WHO IS NINETY YEARS OLD be worthy to bear a son? Although the previous generations used to beget at the age of five hundred years, yet in Abraham’s days the length of life had already become shorter and a diminution of strength had come upon people. Go and learn this from the ten generations from Noah to Abraham who begot their children at the then early age of sixty or seventy.

לו ישמעאל יחיה means O THAT ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE — I am unworthy to receive such a reward!

יחיה לפניך LIVE BEFORE THEE — live in reverence of thee; similar in sense is Genesis 17:1, התהלך לפני, which Onkelos renders by “worship Me”.

אבל VERILY — This word implies confirmation of a statement, just as (Genesis 42:21) “Verily (אבל) we are guilty”, and (2 Kings 4:14) “Verily (אבל) she has no son”.

וקראת את שמו יצחק AND THOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME ISAAC — with reference to his laughter. Some say the name has reference to the ten (י) trials, the ninety (צ) years of Sarah’s age, the eight (ח) days of the circumcision and the hundred (ק) years of Abraham’s age (Genesis Rabbah 53:7).

והקמתי את בריתי AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH HIM — Why is this stated? Is it not already written (Genesis 17:9) “as for thee, thou shalt keep My Covenant, thou and thy seed etc.”? But since is said, (Genesis 17:7) and I will establish My Covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations”, it might be inferred that the children of Ishmael and the children of Keturah (who are all descendants of Abraham) are included in this promise of the establishment of the Covenant, therefore it states here (Genesis 17:19) “And I will establish My Covenant with him (Isaac), not with the others” (cf. Sanhedrin 59b). If so, why is there a repetition of the statement that the covenant will be established with Isaac in the words (Genesis 17:21) ואת בריתי אקים את יצחק “but My Covenant will I establish with Isaac”? But it is repeated in order to add the words אשר תלד so as to teach that he was holy from his birth (Shabbat 137b). Another explanation of why 5:21 is repeated is: R. Aba said, “from here Scripture draws a logical conclusion regarding the son of the Mistress (Sarah) from what is said regarding the son of the handmaid (Hagar): It is written (Genesis 17:20) “Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful”, and this refers to Ishmael: Surely then, it follows logically that “I must establish my covenant (of blessing) with Isaac also!” (Genesis Rabbah 47:5).

את בריתי [I WILL ESTABLISH] MY COVENANT — The Covenant of circumcision shall be transmitted only to the descendants of Isaac.

שנים עשר נשיאים TWELVE PRINCES — like clouds shall they vanish, the word נשיאים being explained here as the same word in (Proverbs 25:14) נשיאים ורוח “Clouds and wind”

מעל אברהם [GOD WENT UP] FROM ABRAHAM — This is a more fitting expression to use of God, and we learn from it that the righteous are the Chariot of the Omnipresent God (Genesis Rabbah 47:6).

בעצם היום IN THE SELFSAME DAY — on the very day when he received the command of circumcision: by day and not by night — he was afraid neither of the heathens nor of the cynics. And he did it in broad daylight in order that his enemies and other people should not say, “If we had seen him we would never have allowed him to practise circumcision and carry out the commandment of the Omnipresent (Genesis Rabbah 47:9).

וימל AND HE CURCUMCISED — This is a Kal form (active).

בהמלו WHEN HE WAS CIRCUMCISED — a Niphal form (passive), like (Genesis 2:4) בהבראם “when they were created”.

בעצם היום הזה ON THE SELFSAME DAY when Abraham completed his ninety-ninth year and Ishmael his thirteenth year נמול אברהם וישמעאל בנו WAS ABRAHAM CIRCUMCISED AND ISHMAEL HIS SON.

...This is the first time that the name, Elokim, is mentioned in God's speaking to Abraham. As we find that the name, Elokim, is attached to His creatures: "Elokei Avraham"; "Elokei Yitschak", Elokei Yisrael" - which is something that we do not find with the other names [of God]. As [this aspect of God] is diffused into the entire creation; such that from this angle, He is called Elokei HaOlam (the God of the world). And this is the name, Elokim, that is mentioned in the story of creation, in which he implanted the laws of nature... And there is [this aspect of God] that descends upon any man that is prepared for it, based on his preparation, like the forefathers... upon whom He had [this aspect] dwell upon in a different way that was elevated from [how this aspect] is found in nature...