Abraham as the great (un)circumciser

Abstract

Judaism has a long tradition of linking the practice of circumcision with Abraham the patriarch. Indeed, the ancient liturgy recited at a Jewish circumcision ceremony climaxes with the blessing of the mohel, the circumciser, who recites, “Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to bring him into the covenant of Abraham, our forefather.” Abraham’s role as witness to every infant boy’s entrance into the covenantal community seems natural; after all, he is the first individual mentioned in the Bible to have circumcised himself (Gen. 17:24), and does so as a sign of his unconditional commitment to God.