The appearance of the mitzvah of Bris Milah, circumcision, is very perplexing. Bris Milah is so central to the identity and message of Avrohom Avinu and signals his commitment to Hashem and Hashem’s commitment to him, yet it is absent from the story of Avrohom until the final aliyah of our parshah, when Avrohom, then 99 years old, is commanded to circumcise himself and the males of his household. Why the delay? The Torah and Chazal (the Sages) narrate the various Tests (Nisyonos) of Avrohom which commenced decades prior, designed to fortify and express Avrohom’s commitment to Hashem, but why is Bris Milah, the most fundamental expression of this commitment, seemingly postponed until much later? Why was Bris Milah not commanded from the outset, and why is it delayed until near the end of our parshah?

While it is true that Bris Milah represents dedication to Hashem and the binding nature of our relationship with Him, there is a different, foundational element of Bris Milah which needs some focus. In order to do this, we need to address another glaring question that emerges when learning this week’s parshah.

Hashem had already promised Avrohom at the time that He spoke with him at the commencement of the parhsah, in Charan, that Avrohom would have multitudes of progeny, and that this progeny would inherit Eretz Yisroel, the Land of Israel. This message seems to be repeated, albeit in more detail, in the latter section of the parshah, where, at the Bris Bein Ha-Besarim, the Covenant Between the Parts, Hashem promises Avrohom that his descendants will be subjugated in a foreign land and that they would later ascend and inherit Eretz Yisroel. Likewise does Hashem promise Avrohom near the end of the parshah that Sarah would bear Yitzchak, whose progeny would be many and who would carry forth Avrohom’s legacy.

Is there anything materially different between this latter set of promises of Hashem and those articulated at the beginning of the parshah, with the exception of the added details?

Yes, there is a huge difference, for the Bris Bein Ha-Besarim and Hashem’s promise of Yitzchak and his progeny represent a major new aspect to the identity and mission of Avrohom. Until now, Avrohom enjoyed a special relationship with Hashem, and he was told of the future rewards of that relationship:  numerous descendants and the inheritance of Eretz Yisroel. However, the Bris Bein Ha-Besarim and the birth of Yitzchak redefine Avrohom’s destiny and depict the emergence of a unique nation with a special calling – a nation unlike any other, which would take the lead in serving Hashem and communing with Him. Avrohom’s progeny would form a distinct and extraordinary new nation, who would not merely be one of the many cultures and clans that inhabit the earth and have a homeland; on the contrary, this nation would undergo unusual and sanctified cultivation and would emerge as the world’s preeminent spiritual movement, as it would bear Hashem’s message and execute His mandate for humanity.

Bris Milah represents the distinctive national devotional identity and message of the Jew and is not merely a symbol of private commitment to Hashem. This crucial concept, of Bris Milah reflecting the national spiritual character of the Jewish People, is described in detail by Sefer Ha-Chinuch (mitzvah 2).

Thus, the answer as to why Avrohom was not given the commandment of Bris Milah until the latter section of our parshah is that this later section switches gears, so to say, and presents the emergence and mission of Avrohom’s progeny not merely as a great nation, but as a novel and spectacular spiritual force, serving as Hashem’s emissaries for mankind. It is in this special context that Bris Milah must be presented and understood. This is likewise why the names of Avram and Sarai are changed at the end of our parshah, as the personae of Avrohom and Sarah ascend to positions of immense and distinctive spiritual leadership.

May we emulate the ways of Avrohom and Sarah and do our utmost to fulfill the national mission of closeness to Hashem and sanctification of His Name that they commenced.