Rashi on TanakhGenesis 17

I am Almighty Shaddai. [Meaning:] “I am the One Whose Godliness suffices for every creature. Therefore, walk before Me and I will be your God and Protector.” Similarly, wherever it appears in Scripture its explanation is thus: “He is sufficient.” However, it also depends on the context.

Walk before me. As he [Onkelos] translates: “Worship Me.” Cling to My worship.

And be perfect. This, too, is an imperative following an imperative, [i.e.,] “Be perfect in all the tests.” According to its Midrash: “Walk before Me” refers to the precept of circumcision and as a result of this you will become perfect. For as long as you are uncircumcised, I consider you imperfect. Another explanation of וֶהְיֵה תָמִים: Now you are lacking [control over] five organs; two eyes, two ears, and the membrum; by adding one letter to your name the numerical value of the letters [of your name] will be two hundred and forty-eight corresponding to the number of your organs.

I will give My covenant. [This refers to] the covenant of love and the covenant for you to possess the land by [your fulfilling] this precept.

Avram fell on his face. From fear of the Divine Presence. Because prior to being circumcised he did not have the strength to stand while the Divine Presence stood over him. It is [to this reference] that it is stated concerning Bilam, “Fallen down and eyes open.” I found this in the Beraisa of R. Eliezer.

For the father of a multitude of nations. This is an acrostic of his name. The letter רי"ש which was originally in [his name] signifying that he was a father only to Aram which was his [original] country, whereas, now he was a father to the entire world and even the letter רי"ש, originally in his name, was, [nevertheless], not removed from its place. For even the letter יו"ד of Sarai’s name had complained to the Divine Presence until it was added to Yehoshua’s name as it is said: “Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun [by the name] Yehoshua.

And I will make you into nations. [Referring to:] Israel and Edom. For he had already had Yishmael and He would not be revealing tidings concerning him.

I will sustain My covenant. And what is this covenant? To be a God to you.

As an eternal possession. It is there that I will be a God to you. But, one who resides outside Eretz Yisrael is like someone who has no God.

And as for you. The letter וי"ו [וְאַתָּה] here [denotes] a continuation of the previous matter: [i.e.] “As for Me, here is My covenant with you,” and you take heed to keep it. And by what means shall it be kept? “This is My covenant which you must preserve, … you shall be circumcised.”

Between Me and you. [Referring to:] those who are now alive.

And your descendants after you. [Referring to:] those who are destined to be born.

Be circumcised. As if [it were written] לְהִמוֹל [to circumcise] as you might say עֲשׂוֹת in place of לַעֲשׂוֹת [to do].

You shall circumcise. [וּנְמַלְתֶּם] has the same meaning as וּמַלְתֶּם and the letter נו"ן is an addition that periodically appears in it, as the letter נו"ן in נוֹשֵׁךְ and the letter נו"ן in נוֹשֵׂא. וּנְמַלְתֶּם has the same form as וּנְשָׂאתֶם But, the word יִמוֹל is the form יִפָּעֵל, as in יֵעָשֶׂה [shall be done], [or] יֵאָכֵל [shall be eaten].

House-born. [Meaning:] to whom a maidservant gave birth in [your] house.

Bought with money. [Referring to:] one who was bought after birth.

Your house-born slaves must be circumcised. Here [the circumcision of יְלִיד בַּיִת] is repeated and it does not say, “On the eighth day” [as in v. 12], in order to teach you that there is a יְלִיד בַּיִת that is circumcised after eight days as is explained in Meseches Shabbos.

An uncircumcised male. Here it teaches that circumcision [is performed] in that place where there is a distinction between male and female.

Who will not circumcise. [This applies to] one who has reached the age of [being liable to] punishment and then he shall be excised. However, his father [who fails to circumcise him] is not punished for it by being excised, but is guilty of transgressing a positive precept.

That soul shall be cut off. He will go childless and die before his time.

Do not call her by the name Sarai. שָׂרַי implies “my princess” but not to others. But, her name will be Sarah—in a general sense for she will be a princess [שָׂרָה] to everyone.

I will bless her. What is this blessing? It is that she reverted to her youthfulness, as it is said: “Now that I am worn out, shall I have the pleasure [of a son].”

I will bless her. The ability to breastfeed, when she needed this [ability] on the day of Yitzchok’s feast when people were maliciously saying of them that they took in a foundling from the street. They, [however,] said, “He is our child.” So each woman brought her child— but neglected to bring its nursemaid— and she nursed them all. This is what is said: “Sarah has nursed the children.” Ber. Rab. partially alludes to this.

Avraham fell on his face and laughed. This one [the word וַיִּצְחָק] Onkelos translates, happiness and rejoicing, whereas [the word וַתִּצְחַק] concerning Sarah he interprets as laughter. You may learn [from this] that Avraham believed [the prophecy] and rejoiced but Sarah did not believe, and ridiculed. That is why God was angry with Sarah but was not angry with Avraham.

Can, etc. There are expressions of astonishment that [mean to] affirm [what was said] as in “Did I reveal myself?” [or] “Do you see?” Here, too, it is an affirmation, and this is what he thought to himself: “Would this favor be done to another that which God is doing for me?”

Shall Sarah, who is ninety. Is she worthy of giving birth? Though the earlier generations gave birth [even] at the age of 500, in the days of Avraham, life was already shorter and a waning of strength had set in the world. Go and learn this from the ten generations between Noach and Avraham who gave birth at the [relatively] early age of 60-70.

May it be granted that Yishmael live. If only Yishmael might live. [Meaning:] “I am unworthy to receive such a reward.”

Live before You. [Meaning:] that he live in fear of You, as in “Walk before Me,” [which Onkelos translates:] “Worship Me.”

Indeed. An expression of affirmation. Similarly: “Truly, we are sinners.” [Or] “Truly, she has no son.”

And you will name him Yitzchok. Based on the laughter. Some say, based on the [י'] 10 trials and [צ'] for 90 years of Sarah[’s age] and [ח'] for the 8th day when he was circumcised and [ק'] for the 100 years of Avraham’s age.

I will establish My covenant with him. Why is this said? It has already been written “And as for you, you must preserve My covenant, you and your descendants.” But, since He said, “I will establish, etc,” I might think that the descendants of Yishmael and the descendants of Keturoh are included in the establishment [of the covenant]. It is, therefore, said: “I will establish My covenant with him and not with others. [If so, why is the verse] “My covenant I shall establish with Yitzchok” [again] stated? To teach that he was holy from the womb. Another explanation [for repeating v. 19]: R. Abba said, From here the son of the mistress drew a logical conclusion from the maidservant’s son: It is written, “I have blessed him and I will make him fruitful and will increase him.” This refers to Yishmael. How much more so… will I establish My covenant with Yitzchok.

My covenant. That the Covenant of Circumcision will be transmitted [only] to the descendants of Yitzchok.

Twelve princes. [A reference to the fact] they will dissipate like clouds, as in: “Clouds [נְשִׂיאִים] and wind.”

From [above] Avraham. This is a more fitting expression when referring to the Divine Presence and we also learn that the righteous are the vehicles of God [’s Presence].

Very day. On the same day that he was commanded, by day and not by night. He was not afraid of the idolaters or of the scoffers. And so that his enemies and contemporaries not claim: “Had we seen him we would not have let him do the circumcision and fulfill God’s precept.”

And he circumcised. This is the וַיִּפְעַל form.

When he was circumcised. In the בְּהִפָּעֲלוֹ form the same [form] as בְּהִבָּרְאָם —“when they were created.

When he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin. Concerning Avraham it does not state אֵת, because he only lacked cutting the flesh, for [the membrane] had already dissolved. But, Yishmael who was a lad required [actual] cutting the foreskin and tearing open the corona membrane. Therefore, concerning him אֵת is said.

On that very day. [On the day] that Avraham turned ninety-nine and Yishmael thirteen years, Avraham and his son Yishmael were circumcised.