נדרים לא

An אפיקורס once met רב יהונתן איבשיץ and said that he did not circumcise his son because the whole custom of מילה is a pagan rite which originated with the Egyptians. “You’re right,” רב יהונתן answered him. “The Egyptians circumcised their sons. פרעה told them אשר יאמר לכם תעשו and רש״י explains ׳לפי שהיה אומר להם שימולו.’ And to whom was פרעה referring? יוסף, the Jewish Viceroy.” The אפיקורס replied: “That doesn’t make sense. Why would יוסף care if the Egyptians had a מילה?” “It’s simple,” רב יהונתן told him. “אפיקורסים throughout history have wanted to follow in the ways of the גויים. Therefore, יוסף sought to have the Egyptians circumcise themselves so that אפיקורסים like you, saying ‘נהיה ככל הגויים,’ will circumcise their own sons as well.”

06/10/2021