Vayeira 21:4 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 21:4

The Complete Passuk

וַיָּ֤מׇל אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנַ֖ת יָמִ֑ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

And Avraham circumcised his son Yitzchak when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Kiddushin 29a.

TT lemma: וימל אברהם / כאשר צוה אותו.

Sefaria — Kiddushin 29a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם. הָאָב חַיָּב בִּבְנוֹ לְמֻלוֹ, דִּכְתִיב וַיָּמָל אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים… תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר צַו אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא זֵרוּז מִיָּד וּלְדוֹרוֹת. כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים – אוֹתוֹ וְלֹא אוֹתָהּ: הָאִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ מְחֻיֶּבֶת לָמוּל אֶת בְּנָהּ.

English: “And Avraham circumcised.” The father is obligated to circumcise his son, as it is written, “And Avraham circumcised his son Yitzchak… as God had commanded him.” The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Wherever “command” (tzav) is stated it means urgency, both immediately and for all generations. “As God had commanded him”—him and not her; a woman is not obligated to circumcise her son.

On the daf / in context: The verse supplies both the father’s duty and the exclusion of the mother from the primary obligation of milah.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The wording “him” and the term “commanded” establish obligation, urgency, and gender distinction.

What Is Learned

A father is obligated to circumcise his son; the mitzvah is binding for all generations; a mother is not the primary obligated party.