The Jew has
a distinct role amongst the nations
The
Sefer HaChinuch explains that HASHEM separated the Jewish people from all
the nations. We were given a distinct role in this world. Our lives and
everything we do should be different than any other people.
To
remind us of this, HASHEM gave us a sign, a permanent reminder of our
uniqueness – the Mitzvah of Milah. A change in our bodies shows that just as
the body of the Jew is different than that of a Gentile, so too is our soul.
By all
rights, the Jewish baby should have been born already circumcised, as this
would have more clearly shown that the Jew is unique amongst the peoples.
However, there is a second lesson that HASHEM wanted to impart to us. Just
like a person can take his body and permanently change it, so too, a person
can change his very essence – his Nishoma.
Therefore, rather than creating the Jew circumcised at birth, HASHEM gave us
this Mitzvah to perform.
Question on
the Sefer HaChinuch
If HASHEM wanted
us to know that we are a nation apart from any other nation, wouldn’t that
difference have been more clearly shown had the very genetic material of the
Jewish person been different? The Chinese are clearly distinct from the
Occidental. The skin colors of various peoples show them as distinct races.
Had the Jew been born circumcised, the entire world would have known that
this people is set apart. Throughout the millennium, every person would have
clearly seen that the Jews are unique. From birth they were different, so
their very essence is different. Yet that difference has now been lost. Any
human can circumcise himself; in fact, many do. Wouldn’t it have been a far
more powerful lesson for us as a nation to know that we are different
because we were born that way?
A leopard
can’t change its spots
The
answer to this question is based on one of the greatest shortcomings of man
– self-limiting beliefs. Often, a person will find himself
thinking, “I am what I am. This is my nature, and there is nothing that I
can do about it. Granted, I may not be happy with the way that I act,
granted I may wish that I were different, but what can I do? This is who I
am.”
Such
thoughts become self-fulfilling. If I sincerely believe I can’t change, then
in fact I will not be able to. I won’t seek out the methods of change, I
won’t have the motivation necessary to change, and the reality will be that
I cannot change. This single concept can be the most damaging idea that ever
crosses a person’s mind.
We were
created to change
The Gra
writes, “If not for changing one’s character traits, what is the purpose of
life?”
Change
isn’t part of the Torah - it is the focal point of all of our Avodas Hashem.
The reason we were put on this planet is to grow. All of the Mitzvahs and
beliefs focus on growth. But growth means taking who I am now and changing
it. Taking myself from where I am, and willfully, purposefully changing
me. Whether it is in character traits, beliefs, trust, or honesty –
whether it is in more clearly seeing HASHEM or treating people with greater
respect – every part of what the Torah demands of me is about change.
If a
person were locked into the idea that he cannot change, then in fact he
wouldn’t be able to. To such a person, the Torah has no relevance.
The
answer to the question on the Sefer HaChinuch seems to be that this concept
of man’s ability to change is so central to being Jewish that it warranted
giving up another essential lesson. It is true that had Jews been born
circumcised, it would have taught us that just as our body is different,
so too is our soul.
That concept would have aided us in recognizing our mission in creation.
However, the concept that “I can change the essence of who I am” is far more
central to being a practicing Jew, and therefore came at the expense of the
weakening the first lesson.
The purpose
of life is to change
This
idea has great relevance to everything that we do. We often find ourselves
mired in thoughts that limit our ability to grow. “That’s just the way I am.
What can I do? I didn’t choose to be born stubborn, or hot tempered, or
selfish or arrogant. Ask my Creator why He made me this way.”
While
it is true, that each individual was created with a different nature and
temperament, and it may well be that one person has a greater tendency
towards anger, jealousy, or arrogance- the entire focus of our lives is
supposed to be towards changing our natures. However, to do that, we must
clearly see change as possible, as something within our capacity. For that
reason, HASHEM gave us the Mitzvah of Milah to perform so that we can have a
permanent reminder of our ability to change.
I would like to thank
R’ Daniel Goldstein for his help with this Shmuz.
For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz
#143-145 The
Stages of Change
