Komentarz do Szabbat 19:8

רבי אליעזר אומר אם לא הביא כלי – cutting tool/knife to circumcise the baby.

Introduction This mishnah discusses desecrating Shabbat in order to circumcise a child on Shabbat. While the tannaim do not debate that the circumcision itself is done on Shabbat, the question is what preparations for the circumcision may be done.

מביאו בשבת מגולה – to announce that this Mitzvah is beloved for we desecrate the Sabbath for it.

Rabbi Eliezer says: if one did not bring an instrument [with which to circumcise] on the eve of Shabbat, he must bring it on Shabbat uncovered; but in [times of] danger he hides it on the testimony of witnesses. Obviously, a knife is needed to perform the circumcision. According to Rabbi Eliezer, if one forgot to bring the knife he may bring it on Shabbat eve, even if this entails violating the prohibition of carrying on Shabbat. In normal times, the knife should be carried openly so that people will learn that the Shabbat is violated in order to perform the circumcision on Shabbat. However, in a time when the Roman authorities forbade circumcision (the Hadrianic persecutions, leading up to and following the Bar Kochba revolt) the knife should be hidden so as to avoid danger. The witnesses are needed to testify that the reason that he is carrying is only in order to perform a circumcision. In other words, they are for his protection.

ובסכנה – when they (i.e., foreign powers) made a decree against circumcision.

Rabbi Eliezer said further: one may cut wood to make charcoal to make an iron instrument. Rabbi Eliezer goes to an even greater extreme. Even if one does not have any knife with which to circumcise, one may cut down wood to heat up iron to make a knife. It seems unlikely that one would actually find oneself in such a situation. Rabbi Eliezer’s statement is meant to have polemical value anything may be done so that the circumcision may be carried out on Shabbat.

מכסהו ע"פ עדים – that they will testify that this cutting tool/knife that he is bringing is for the Mitzvah and that they should not suspect him that he is carrying the rest of his belongings.

Rabbi Akiva stated a general principle: any [manner of] work which could be performed on the eve of Shabbat does not supersede Shabbat; but that which could not be performed on the eve of Shabbat does supersede Shabbat. Rabbi Akiva disagrees with Rabbi Eliezer and holds that only activities that cannot be performed before Shabbat can be done on Shabbat itself. This would include the circumcision itself, as we shall learn in tomorrow’s mishnah. However, preparatory activities such as making the knife and carrying it to where the circumcision will be performed must be performed before Shabbat begins. The reason that Rabbi Akiva’s statement is phrased as a general rule is that it applies to several other halakhot as well (see Pesahim 6:2 and Menahot 11:3).

ולעשות ברזל –in order to make a cutting tool for the circumcision.

כל מלאכה שאפשר לעשותה - such as the requirements of a religious act of circumcision [to be performed on the Sabbath] since it is possible to perform them on the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e., on Friday), they do not override the [observance of the] Sabbath and he disagrees with Rabbi Eliezer.

שאי אפשר לעשותה מע"ש – such as the actual circumcision for it is impossible to do it for its [appropriate] time is the eighth day which overrides the Sabbath and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiba.

מוהלין – to cut the foreskin.

Introduction This mishnah lists what aspects of circumcision may be performed on Shabbat according to Rabbi Akiva.

ופורעין – the skin covering the top of the membrum virile (i.e., the corona)/split the membrane and pull it down.

They may perform all the necessities of circumcision on Shabbat: circumcising, uncovering [the corona], sucking [the wound], and placing a compress and cumin upon [the wound]. The main necessities for performing the actual circumcision may all be performed on Shabbat, since these obviously cannot be performed prior to Shabbat. This includes the two main parts of the circumcision itself the cut and the tearing of the membrane which covers the corona. “Sucking the wound” was believed to have certain health benefits and hence was considered to be an essential part of the circumcision. Indeed the Talmud states that any mohel who doesn’t suck the wound is to be removed from his job. In our day, due to our knowledge of orally transmitted diseases, this part of the ritual has become very controversial. Some groups do not do this at all, claiming that there is no health benefit and that even in the Talmud it was not considered to be as essential as the “cutting and tearing”. Since the 19th century some mohels have been using various other contraptions to do the sucking, including a sponge and a glass tube. Some ultraorthodox groups still suck by direct contact with the mouth. The compress and cumin mixture were placed on the wound to aid in the healing. I do not know of any group that still uses cumin although compresses are still used by all.

ומוצצין – [to suck] the blood [and compress the blood vessels of the wound in the process] and even though he is making a wound, for the blood does not ooze/secrete [from its junction other than through sucking.

If one did not grind [the cumin] on the eve of Shabbat, he may chew [it] with his teeth and apply [it to the wound]. On Shabbat itself, since grinding is a forbidden labor, it would be forbidden to grind the cumin in order to put it on the wound. If he hasn’t prepared the cumin before Shabbat while he may not grind it, he may chew it up in his mouth and then put it on the wound. Again, they didn’t know about germs in the days of the Talmud.

אספלנית – bandage/compress/dressing.

If he did not beat up wine and oil on the eve of Shabbat, he should apply each separately. They would also put a mixture of wine and oil on the wound. This mixture was beaten before Shabbat. If he hadn’t prepared the wine and oil before Shabbat, he cannot beat them on Shabbat but he may place the wine and oil in a bowl without vigorously beating them and then put them together on the wound.

לועס בשיניו – for all that is possible to do [through] a change.

They may not make a cloak for it in the first place, but he may wrap a rag about it. They would also make a special bandage called by the Mishnah a “cloak” which would be used to cover the head of the penis. This “cloak” should not be made on Shabbat. So if he didn’t make it before Shabbat, what he may do is temporarily wrap a small rag around the penis.

אם לא טרף יין ושמן – they were accustomed that they would beat wine and oil in a bowl and mix them together for a healing salve on the circumcision just as they beat eggs in a bowl.

If this was not prepared from the eve of Shabbat, he may wind it about his finger and bring it, and even from another courtyard. If he didn’t bring the small rag to the place of the circumcision before Shabbat, he may not simply carry it, for that would be an outright violation of Shabbat. However, he may wrap the rag around his finger and carry it. This way it is as if he is wearing the rag (which is permitted) and not just carrying it. The mishnah allows it to be carried even from another courtyard. The commentators debate whether this implies that it also may be carried through the public domain.

חלוק – a piece of perforated cloth which they enter the circumcised membrum into the perforation in order that the skin does not return and cover up the membrum virile.

לא התקין – he did not prepare it.

כורך על אצבע – in the form of a clothing to change it from the manner of taking it out on weekdays.

אפי' מחצר אחרת – it is not required/necessary from one house to another house in the same courtyard even though they did not make an Eruv but even from another courtyard which is not [connected by] an Eruv with it.

מרחיצין את הקטן – this washing is not in its regular manner, as the Tanna/teacher of the end [of the Mishnah] indicates to explain the first part [of the Mishnah] – how do they wash/cleanse? Such as to drip/sprinkle by hand, but even to sprinkle with a utensil is forbidden, and all the more so to wash in the regular manner.

Introduction The first part of this mishnah discusses bathing the child on Shabbat before and after his circumcision. The second part of the mishnah deals with circumcision of a child on Shabbat if something about his status is doubtful.

ראב"ע כו' - he disputes the first teacher [of the Mishnah] and he (i.e., Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah) holds that we wash/cleanse the [newborn] baby in the normal manner, whether before the circumcision, [or] whether after the circumcision, and on the third day [after] the circumcision also, whether the water was heated on the eve of the Sabbath (i.e., Friday) or even whether the waters were heated on the Sabbath itself, for it is a matter of danger to life and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah.

They bathe the infant both before and after the circumcision, and sprinkle [warm water] over him by hand but not with a vessel. It is permitted to bathe the infant with hot water on Shabbat both before and after the circumcision. The mishnah now proceeds to explain that this bathing is not a full bath as is usually done when it is not Shabbat but rather just sprinkling him with water by hand. Some commentators explain that before he is circumcised the hot water may not be heated on Shabbat, but that after he is circumcised, when the bath is more crucial for his recovery, the water may be heated even on Shabbat.

ספק – it is doubtful whether a child is eight months old or nine months old, for if he is eight months old, he is like a mere stone and his circumcision does not supersede the Sabbath day.

R. Elazar ben Azaryah says: they may bathe an infant on the third day [of circumcision] which falls on the Shabbat, as it is said, “And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore” (Genesis 34:25). Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah disagrees with the previous opinion in two ways. First of all, he holds that the child may be bathed in a normal manner and not just by sprinkling on him. Secondly, the child may be bathed even if Shabbat falls on the third day after his circumcision, and not just on the day of the circumcision itself. This Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah learns from the story of Shechem’s circumcision where we see that he and the people from his city were still hurting on the third day. Talmudic commentators debate whether this means that the infant may be bathed up until the third day, and also on the first and second day after the circumcision, or just the third day, but not the first two days. It seems to me that the first position is more reasonable. According to the latter position we would have to say that for some reason the pain is worse on the third day.

רבי יהודה מתיר באנדרוגינוס – since it is written (Genesis 17:12): “every male among you shall be circumcised,” including an androgynous individual, but [for] the first teacher [of our Mishnah], (Genesis 17:14) “his foreskin” is written, [meaning] he who is totally uncircumcised, excluding the case of someone who is half-female. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.

For one who about whom it is doubtful, and a hermaphrodite, they may not desecrate Shabbat But Rabbi Judah permits [it] in the case of a hermaphrodite. If a child is born at twilight it is considered doubtful whether he was born on the previous day or on the following day. Such a child can never be circumcised on Shabbat. For instance, let’s say he was born on twilight between Friday and Shabbat. His circumcision will end up being on Sunday. It can’t be on Friday, lest he was born on Shabbat and Friday is only the seventh day. It can’t be on Shabbat lest he was born on Friday and Shabbat would be the ninth day. Circumcision overrides the rules of Shabbat only if it is on the eighth day. Therefore the circumcision is pushed off until Sunday (we shall learn more about this below in mishnah five.) I should note that others explain the mishnah differently. This explanation goes according to Albeck. A hermaphrodite has signs of being both male and female. He is circumcised but his circumcision cannot take place on Shabbat. This is because we are not sure of his halakhic status as male and hence it could be that he doesn’t really need to be circumcised. His circumcision is “doubtful” and therefore it doesn’t override Shabbat. Rabbi Judah considers a hermaphrodite to be a male and therefore his circumcision overrides Shabbat.

מי שהיו לו שתי תינוקות וכו' - The Amoraim dispute in the Babylonian Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 137a) concerning the textual reading of this Mishnah but the textual reading that that my teachers grabbed hold of as essential is this: He who had two baby boys, one to circumcise [the day] after the Sabbath (i.e., on Sunday) and one to circumcise on the Sabbath but he forgot and circumcised the one of the day after the Sabbath on the Sabbath is liable [for a sin-offering]. If one was to be circumcised on the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e., on Friday), and one (i.e., the other) to be circumcised on the Sabbath, but he forgot and circumcised the one for the Eve of the Sabbath on the Sabbath, Rabbi Eliezer obligates him to bring a sin-offering and Rabbi Yehoshua [says] that he is exempt. And this its explanation: If he forgot and circumcised the one [who was to be circumcised] after the Sabbath (i.e., on Sunday) on the Sabbath, , according to everyone he is liable [for a sin-offering] for he has erred in the matter of the Commandment and did not perform the Mitzvah when he advanced [the circumcision] and circumcised the one for Sunday on the Sabbath, and in this, even Rabbi Yehoshua admits [that he is liable a sin-offering].

Introduction This mishnah discusses a case where there are two infants, one who should be circumcised on Shabbat and the other who should not be circumcised on Shabbat. The question is what happens if the babies get switched and someone circumcises on Shabbat the one who should have been circumcised on a different day.

אחד למול בשבת ואחד למול בערב שבת ושכח ומל את של ערב שבת בשבת ר' אליעזר מחייב חטאת – for it is a ritual circumcision that was not at the its [appropriate] time and does not supersede the Sabbath, and even though he erred in the matter of [the performance of] a commandment for he was preoccupied with that Sabbath and because of it, erred in it, and even with this, he performed a Mitzvah for it was appropriate to circumcise [his son] but it does not supersede the Sabbath, for Rabbi Eleazar holds that he erred in the matter of a Mitzvah and performed a Mitzvah which does not supersede the Sabbath and he is liable [for a sin-offering].

If a man has two infants, one to circumcise after Shabbat and the other to circumcise on Shabbat, and he forgets and circumcises the one who should be circumcised after Shabbat on the Shabbat, he is liable. In the first case the mohel (the circumciser) ends up circumcising a baby on Shabbat who should have been circumcised after Shabbat. In other words, he desecrated Shabbat to circumcise a boy who had not yet reached his eighth day. This child was not yet obligated to be circumcised. Hence the circumciser is liable to bring a sin-offering for accidentally desecrating Shabbat.

[If he has] one to circumcise on the eve of Shabbat and another to circumcise on Shabbat, and he forgets and circumcises the one who should be circumcised on the eve of Shabbat on Shabbat: Rabbi Eliezer holds [him] liable to a sin-offering, but Rabbi Joshua exempts [him]. In this case it turns out that he circumcised a boy on Shabbat who should have been circumcised on Friday. Rabbi Eliezer maintains that he is still liable since he did, after all, circumcise on Shabbat in a case where he should not have done so. Only circumcision on the eighth day overrides Shabbat (this we learned in yesterday’s mishnah and we will learn again in tomorrow’s mishnah). Rabbi Joshua holds that since the child had already passed his eighth day and had therefore become obligated to be circumcised, the circumciser has fulfilled the commandment and is not liable. Note that Rabbi Joshua agrees that it is forbidden to circumcise a child on Shabbat on any other day but the eighth day. He only holds that if someone mistakenly did so to a child who was already obligated for circumcision, he is not liable.

ור"י פוטר – for he holds that he erred in the matter of a Mitzvah and performed a commandment that does not supersede the Sabbath=, he exempt [from having to bring a sin-offering] because he holds/thought that it was with the permission of the Jewish court that he did it, and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehuda.

If he was born during twilight, he is circumcised on the ninth day as it is the eighth day from the morrow; if twighlight is still considered day, he is thus circumcised on the ninth day. If the day (preceding the twighlight during which he was born) is Friday, he can't be circumcised on the following Shabbat in case it is the ninth day and it is a postponed circumcision which does not supersede Shabbat, he must wait until after Shabbat and be circumcised on the tenth day.

Introduction As we have already mentioned, circumcision is done on Shabbat only if it is done on the eighth day. If it is done on any other day besides the eighth, then the circumcision must wait until after Shabbat. Our mishnah shows that sometimes this will delay the circumcision by several days.

חל יום טוב להיות אחר השבת – no circumcision which is [not performed] at its [appropriate] time may supersede it, and he is circumcised on the eleventh day [after his birth].

An infant is circumcised on the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth [days], neither before nor later. How so?
In the normal situation, on the eighth. Normally, a child is circumcised on the eighth day.

שני ימים טובים של ראש השנה – for they are one level of sanctity and a circumcision [performed] not at its appropriate time does not supersede the Festival observance of the Second Day of Rosh Hashanah; he is circumcised on the twelfth day [from the day of his birth].

If he is born at twilight, on the ninth; Twilight is a halakhically doubtful time we don’t know whether to consider it still the previous day or the day after. Therefore, if a boy is born at twilight, he is circumcised on what might be the ninth day. In other words we act as if he was born on the next day.

עד שיבריא – and seven complete days in astronomical hours should pass from the day that he is healed, and afterwards, we circumcise him (i.e., the child).

At twilight on the eve of Shabbat, on the tenth. If he is born on twilight on the eve of Shabbat, he can’t be circumcised on Shabbat because only circumcision on the eighth day overrides Shabbat, and Shabbat may be the ninth day. Therefore he is circumcised on Sunday, the tenth day.

If a festival follows Shabbat, on the eleventh. If Sunday is a festival, we must delay his circumcision until the eleventh day. Just as circumcision does not override Shabbat unless it is the eighth day, so too it does not override a festival unless it is on the eighth day.

If the two days of Rosh Hashanah [follow Shabbat], on the twelfth. Finally, if the two days of Rosh Hashanah follow Shabbat, then he will be circumcised on the twelfth day. We should note that even in the land of Israel Rosh Hashanah was observed for two days. In the Diaspora the same would hold true for the second day of festivals.

An infant who is sick is not circumcised until he recovers. Healthy infants can be circumcised on the eighth through twelfth days, but sick infants must wait until they recover from their illness to be circumcised. Their health overrides their need to be circumcised.

ציצין –hidden shreds of flesh that remain from the foreskin.

Introduction This mishnah talks about some of the physical aspects of circumcision.

עטרה – it is a tall rim which surrounds the membrum virile round about and from it slants and descends to its head and the skin that covers most of the corona of the membrum virile as our Mishnah teaches , one should not say most of the coagulation, but even most of its height in one location.

These are the shreds which invalidate circumcision: flesh that covers the greater part of the corona; and he may not eat terumah. If there are little pieces of skin left after the foreskin was circumcised, they must be removed if they cover the greater part of the corona. If they are not removed the child is not considered circumcised and if he is a priest, he may not eat terumah, just as any non-circumcised priest may not eat terumah.

אינו אוכל בתרומה – if he is a Kohen, for an uncircumcised Kohen is prohibited to eat the priest’s due/Terumah. It is said regarding the Passover sacrifice (Exodus 12:45): “No bound or hired laborer shall eat of it,” and it is stated regarding Terumah (Leviticus 22:10): “No bound or hired laborer of a priest shall eat of the sacred donations.” Just as the Passover offering is prohibited to someone uncircumcised, so too the Terumah is prohibited to someone uncircumcised.

And if he is chubby, he must repair it for appearance sake. If the circumcision was done correctly, but due to the child’s chubby appearance it looks as if he was not circumcised, the mohel should repair the circumcision so that it looks like he was circumcised. Otherwise people will say that the child was not circumcised.

ואם היה בעל בשר – if he was fat and flesh appeared that was above his uncircumcised membrum, after the foreskin was taken off completely, as if the flesh returned and covered the membrum virile.

If one circumcises but does not uncover the circumcision, it is as though he has not circumcised. As we learned in mishnah two, an essential part of the circumcision is the tearing of the membrane underneath the corona. If this is not done, the circumcision is invalid. Note, that other aspects of the circumcision are less essential, including the sucking. The mishnah does not say that if the mohel did not suck the wound, the circumcision is invalid. This left room for some authorities to say that we don’t need to suck the wound, or at least that it need not be sucked through direct mouth to mouth contact.

מתקנו – and he slants the cutting utensil/knife from that thickness [of the fat].

מפני מראית העין – so that he would not appear as uncircumcised.

ולא פרע – and he did not reveal it.

כאלו לא מל – and he would go back and split the membrane and pull it down and even if he removed his hand from it – for all the while that he is engaged in the circumcision on the Sabbath, he cuts whether the remaining shreds invalidate the act by omission or whether they don’t invalidate the act by omission after he removes his hand from the shreds which invalidate the act, he returns to the shreds which do not invalidate the act and he doesn’t go back.