Derasha 21 on Vayikra 12:3

TT #21 · Parshas Tazria · Aliyah 1 · Passuk 3

The Complete Passuk

וּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃

English: On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Chabad.org — Chumash, English translation + Rashi for Vayikra 12:3

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Yerushalmi Rosh Hashanah 1:1.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Yerushalmi Rosh Hashanah 1:1
רִבִּי חַגַּיי בְעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. כָּתוּב וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל. עָבַר וְלֹא מָל. אָמַר לֵיהּ. כִּי תִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַיי אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תְאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ. דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא נִיתַּן לְתַשְׁלוּמִין. יָצָא זֶהּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִיתַּן לְתַשְׁלוּמִין.

English: Rabbi Chaggai asked Rabbi Yose: The verse says, “On the eighth day he shall be circumcised.” If the eighth day passed and he was not circumcised, what is the rule? Rabbi Yose answered with the verse, “You shall not delay to fulfill [your vow].” That rule applies to an obligation that can be made up later; it excludes circumcision on the eighth day, because that day itself cannot be made up.

Type of Learning

Analogy from another verse

What Is Learned

Missing the eighth-day timing is not treated as a violation of the specific prohibition against delaying a vow, because the eighth-day obligation itself cannot be recreated.