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At the end of this week’s Torah portion of Lech Lecha, Avram and Sarai’s names are changed to Avraham and Sarah. With this new essence, Hashem promised that they would have a son, named Yitzchak. But Avraham and his household would also have to go through circumcision, as a covenant between him and Hashem.
The Torah then says, “And when he had finished speaking with him, Elohim ascended from upon Avraham. Then Avraham took his son Yishmael and all those servants born in his household and all those he had purchased for money, all the male members of Avraham’s household, and he circumcised(the flesh of their foreskin) on that very day as Elohim had spoken with him… On that very day was Avraham circumcised with Yishmael his son…” (Breishis 17:22-27).
The Ibn Ezra, interestingly, is of the opinion that Hashem didn’t directly speak to Avraham at this time but rather sent an angel to speak with Avraham. It is known in scripture that ‘Elohim’ can also refer to angels, when properly sourced. The Ibn Ezra reported in pasuk 17 that ” as soon as the angel disappeared, immediately he circumcised his son and all born into his household, and those purchased for money.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
The Ibn Ezra also points out in pasuk 26 that the Torah emphasizes “on that very day” he performed all the circumcisions, “and he didn’t delay in the matter. Behold, there were 318 people born in his household besides all those he purchased with money, and afterwards Avraham himself gave himself a bris on that day. Yishmael, his son, those born in his household, and all those purchased by him, on their own fruition decided to be circumcised with him. The reason why they weren’t forced was because he quickly acted to fulfill the will of Hashem.”
Elective surgery is not an easy choice; it is difficult even when it comes to a physical ailment one must face. All the more so one would think that if until now a member of the household is seemingly perfectly fine, but now the head of his household is saying he needs a physical change to perfect his spiritual essence and to create a bond with Hashem as per Hashem’s command heard from an angel, then it might be understandable why there would be hesitation. Yet hundreds of Avraham’s followers unquestionably agreed to receiving a bris. And Avraham acted diligently and didn’t delay in doing Hashem’s will so that they wouldn’t have second thoughts and would be forced to receive the bris once they had agreed. But why isn’t acting that quickly a form of coercion? Why not let them sit with it a little bit and make sure they know what they are getting themselves into? Normally when there is a choice, and there is a question of what to do, Chaza”l say it’s better to sit on it and not act hastily (הוי מתונים בדין)- why is this case any different?
We must say that when it is clear what the ratzon Hashem is, the Will of G-D, then even if it might sound strange and unsettling, the proper thing to do is to get it done quickly. If not, then hesitation and doubt creeps in and a wrong decision might be made. Or it might get done but without the same gusto and lishma [pure intent for the sake of Hashem].
There are times when sitting on a question and thinking it through is the better choice to ensure the ratzon Hashem, Hashem’s will, is being executed properly. But there are also times when Hashem’s will is so clear and evident, and everyone can see it, that immediate action should take place; getting it done quickly before doubts might enter people’s minds is not considered coercion. The yetzer hara is very tricky and wants people to think it is notfair if a person doesn’t get a chance to sit on it and think it over. You aren’t letting him go through all the pros and cons! But that is the evil inclination at work, trying to slip doubt into situations where there is no doubt, to mess things up. Therefore, the proper course of action is to act b’zrizus, quickly to do the will of Hashem.
There is a time and place for everything and one of our major jobs in life, granted not easy, is to know when that time and place is at any given moment.