Abraham, the first Jew, circumcised himself at 99 years old. In the 4,000 years since, his descendants have made this sacred covenant sometimes in joy and often under persecution, with happiness and with heavy hearts. The stories and insights in this section can be a source of inspiration to you and your guests.
The First Mitzvah
The circumcision is the first mitzvah which Avraham, our Patriarch, the first Jew, was commanded to perform. Similarly, the circumcision is the first mitzvah performed with…
Observance of the Mitzvos
The Contrast Between Our Observance of the Mitzvos, and that of Our Patriarchs Our Sages say[1] that Avraham fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given. But[2]Avraham…
The Three Components
The Three Components of Circumcision: the Act, the Result and the Negation of the Foreskin — And How They’re Meaningful “Mitzvah” is commonly translated as…
The Eighth Day
Higher Than Nature Chassidic philosophy teaches that the number seven represents the cycle of life, as it is the prominent number in the order of…
Transcending Time
The time for the fulfillment of the mitzvah of circumcision is the eighth day after the child was born, as it is written in the…
Three Signs
We find in the Torah three mitzvot that are referred to as a “sign” or “covenant” between God and the Jewish people. One is Shabbat, another is Bris,…
A Cry for Revelation
When the Rebbe Rashab-the fifth Chabad Rebbe was four or five years old, he was taken to his grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, for a birthday…
God’s Visit to Avraham
“And God revealed Himself to Avraham.” (Vayeira 18:1 ) Rashi a noted commentary on the Torah states: ” God came to visit the sick. He then quotes…
Elijah the Prophet
Throughout our long history the Jewish people have zealously guarded themitzvah of circumcision, even during periods of religious rebellion and apostasy. Only once was there any weakness in…
The Romans’ Decree
At the time when the Roman armies conquered and ruled the land of Israel they set forth three new decrees. Their intentions were specifically to…
STORY: A Bris in Roman Times
Many years ago, when the Roman Empire reached the Land of Israel, decrees against the Jews abounded. One such decree forbade the circumcision of Jewish…
STORY: A Bris In Stalinist Russia
It was Stalinist Russia. The sudden banging on the door made the occupants blood run cold. The knocking was getting louder. They were about to…
STORY: A Bris in Communist Russia
Communist Russia was, along with Nazi Germany, the worst possible place on the globe for Judaism. After the revolution of 1917 the ‘Party’ began closing…
STORY: A Bris in a German Labor Camp
Each morning at dawn, the Germans would lead us out of the camp for a day of hard labor that ended only at nightfall. Each…
The Covenant of Avraham
G-d commanded our Patriarch Avraham to circumcise himself and his male children (and other males amongst his household), and when he fulfilled this command he…
