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05/28/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Naso
Rabbi Dovid Saks

Included in the Parsha are the laws of a Nazir. A Nazir is a person who vows to conduct himself in a specific sanctified manner. A Nazir is prohibited to drink wine, eat grapes or any derivatives of grapes. He is also not allowed to cut his hair or come into contact with a dead body even to his or her closest relatives. The minimum amount of time one can be a Nazir is thirty days.
Often one would take such a vow adding restrictions upon himself when he felt a temptation to sin. Taking a vow to be a Nazir would bring him to a heightened level of awareness and sanctity, and providing him with a protective shield to safeguard him from sinning.
When the Nazir completed the time he set for himself, he was required to offer sacrifices in the Temple, and also cut his hair.
Interestingly, after the Torah describes the sacrificial process at the conclusion of being a Nazir, the Torah says, "After this, the Nazir may drink wine."
The question is, why does the Torah call him a Nazir if he is already done with being a Nazir?
An answer offered is as follows: The Torah is teaching us that even when the Nazir completes his term of his heightened level of sanctification, he will be a changed and elevated person. Even after returning to his daily routine, the effect of his transcending experience will linger on. Thus, even after completing his Nezirus period, the Torah continues to call him a Nazir. Though he is done with the formalities of being a Nazir, his level of sanctity continues on.
In reality, this concept applies to anything that we do connected to sanctity. Any involvement that we have with doing a Mitzvah, or any commitment that we make towards an observance, however long its duration, brings us a lasting spiritual elevation, and is a source of blessing that remains with us and gives us momentum to build further.
This week’s Haftorah speaks of the events that led up to the birth of Samson, a famous Nazirite. Samson/Shimshon’s parents were childless for many years. One day an angel appeared to his mother Tzlalfonis, and told her that she would conceive and have a child. He instructed her that she was not allowed to drink wine or ingest anything that is ritually unclean while she is pregnant, for her child would be a Nazir from the womb and then for the rest of his life.
Tzlalfonis came home and told her husband Manoach what happened. He then prayed to G-d for the angel to appear again to give them more details on how to raise the child. The angel appeared to Tzlalfonis again, and she ran and called her husband. The angel then appears to simply repeat what he had said previously to Manoach’s wife. What did the angel add that satisfied Manoach’s uncertainty about how to raise his child?
Rabbi Shimon Schwab o.b.m. explains that what the angel was telling Manoach was that “Whatever I told your wife about raising the child…you should do yourself.” Which means that the angel told Manoach that in order to raise his child in this unique way of being a Nazir – Manoach himself ought to become a Nazir.
For it would be a mixed message for a parent to live an un-Nazarite life while placing a demand on their child to live a sanctified Nazirite life. Children look towards their parents and conduct themselves in the same manner as their parents. If Manoach would not have become a Nazir, he would be unsuccessful in prodding and directing his son Shimshon to maintain a heightened level of sanctity – since his father was not doing it himself.
Shimshon was born in the era that the wicked Philistines brutally ruled over the Jews in Israel for 40 years. Shimshon’s parents’ devoted example was successful and Shimshon was blessed by G-d, becoming a great influential leader and loyal Judge for the Jewish people. With Shimshon’s amazing physical strength, he fought against the Philistines and defeated them, thus restoring the Jews to power in the Land of Israel!
Before our forefather Yaacov passed on, he bestowed a blessing to each of his children. When Yaacov blessed his son Dan, he prophesied that Shimshon, who was a descendant of Dan, would be blinded by the Philistines and G-d would listen to his sincere prayer, giving him the strength to topple the Philistines’ temple.
May G-d recall the prayers of our forebears and listen to our prayers, and infuse peace in Israel and to all Jews around the world!

05/19/2026

Shavuos!
Rabbi Dovid Saks

The Holiday of Shavuos commemorates the most unique and singular event that ever occurred; it is when G-d revealed Himself by proclaiming the Ten Commandments in the presence of the entire Jewish nation.
The Torah attests that there has never been or will there ever be a nation or religion that witnesses such an undeniable public event of G-d’s Revelation to the Jews.
We live with this reality each day when we follow and adhere to G-d’s laws and identify as G-d’s chosen nation. The festive holiday of Shavuos gives us pause to reflect on our unique relationship with G-d and His relationship with us.
In our Holiday prayers we refer to Shavuos as, “The time when our Torah was given to us.” The Torah portion we read on the first day of the holiday is from the Book of Exodus, where the Torah describes the preparation the Jews were instructed to make prior to G-d giving them the Torah. And we read about G-d’s proclamation of the Ten Commandments. This hallmarks our belief and knowledge of G-d’s existence, and His control over everything, and His instruction to us as to how to abide by His commands.
The Ben Ish Chai was the Rabbi of Baghdad in the early 1900’s. He was a prolific writer and great orator. He raises the following interesting question: Why didn’t G-d give the Torah to our holy forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaacov? In fact, for 15 years they were alive at the same time. Why did G-d wait hundreds of years later to give the Torah to the Jews after they were freed from Egypt?
He explains: If the Torah would have been given to our Patriarchs, the evil inclination would have been armed with ways to convince and sway future descendants to dismiss themselves from following the dictates of the Torah.
The evil inclination would use the following ploy, “Don’t you realize how holy and powerful the Torah is? It's impossible for a regular human being to follow it.”
He would continue, “I’ll prove to you that you are unfit for it. Look at who it was given to and who accepted it; it was Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaacov, the holiest of people who were fit to keep the Torah of G-d.”
The evil inclination would continue, “Even if you think you can do it, are you going to compare yourself as angel-like as your forefathers? Take a look at Avraham. He had a dear son who was born when he was 100 years old, and when this beloved son, Yitzchok, was 37 years old, G-d instructed Avraham to offer his son as a sacrifice and both father and son got up early to do it with joy. He didn’t stop until the last moment when Avraham was instructed from on High to stop!”
The Evil inclination would ask, “Do you think you are up to this task? Torah is too much for the average person; it was only given to extremely holy angel-like people. Do you know that Yaacov was so holy that the prophets, King David in the Psalms, and our Medrash teach us that Yaacov’s image is engraved on G-d’s Throne in the Heavens!”
Says the Ben Ish Chai, G-d specifically waited to give the Torah to the nation after they were freed from Egypt to avoid these excuses that the Evil Inclination could have claimed to convince us to abandon the Holy Torah.
Originally, the Jews were to remain in Egypt for 400 years, however, G-d cut this time almost in half, and they were there for only 210 years. One of the reasons for this is that while the Jews were in Egypt as residents and then as slaves they were extremely influenced by the Egyptian decadence and worship, which almost obliterated any semblance of their spiritual spark. Had G-d not swiftly freed them from Egypt they would have been lost
When the Jews were released, they spent the next 49 days raising their spiritual level until they were fit to receive G-d’s Torah.
So, let’s see who it was that received the Torah. It was approximately 2.5 million people ― infants through adults ― who had just come out of Egypt where they were on the lowest levels of spirituality. Yet, every single one of them, unequivocally, accepted the Torah on their own volition without any coercion. They were aware that Torah was likened to fire and was Holy, and it had many demands, yet, no one had second doubts whether it would be too difficult or unattainable. They all declared with one voice, “We will do and we will listen!”
G-d specifically waited to give the Torah to this raw and ‘un-angel-like’ generation to thwart the Evil Inclination’s claim that Torah could only be given and observed by those who are the likes of our holy patriarchs, for in fact, it was given to and accepted by a nation who had recently been slaves and very much lacking in spirituality.
Shavuos reminds each of us that we are worthy, able, and fortunate to embrace, fulfill and delight in the Divine gift of the Torah!

05/14/2026

D'var Torah: Torah Portion: Bamidbar
Rabbi Dovid Saks

This Shabbos, we begin reading Bamidbar, the fourth book of the Torah. It begins with G-d instructing Moshe to take a census of the Jewish people.
This was not the first time G-d instructed him to take a census. Less than a year earlier, another census was taken. Interestingly, both counts were equal, 603,550.
Why was it necessary for another count? Rashi, our great commentator, explains that G-d was conveying His love for the Jewish nation. Just as a person at certain points of time takes stock of his assets which are dear to him, so too, each individual of the Jewish nation is dear to G-d and He wishes to count His precious nation.
This census counted the number of males between the ages of 20 and 60. They did not take a headcount; rather, each person handed over a half Shekel coin and they counted the coins. Additionally, each family needed to prove which patrilineal tribe they belonged to.
In the Parsha we find not only a census of the entire nation but each individual tribe was counted as well. The Torah designates that three tribes encamped together in each of the four directions surrounding the Temple, which was in the center of the encampment. In fact, the number of men in each tribe is repeated a second time when their place was designated.
This mentioning the numbers of each tribe a second time seems to be redundant. But we know that every letter and word of the Torah is sacred. G-d instructed Moshe to scribe each letter, word, verse, dot and crown adorned on top of certain letters and where and how spaces are to be formed. Thus, when a mere letter is missing or formed incorrectly, the Torah scroll is invalid and cannot be used until it is corrected.
I came across something very interesting regarding the tally of the tribe of Benyamin which was 35,400.
After our morning prayers, some have the custom to recite some added verses of the Torah and statements of our belief.
For example, there are Six Zachiros ― remembrances ― that are highlighted in the Torah which we remember each day. 1) We must remember that G-d took us out of Egypt. 2) That G-d appeared to us at Mount Sinai. 3) The sin of the golden calf and its consequences. 4) To remember the wickedness of the nation of Amalek, who were the first to attack us. 5) To remember that Miriam was excommunicated due to her speaking Lashon Hara ― ill ― about her brother Moshe. 6) To remember the Holy day of Shabbos.
Another example of additions that are recited are the 13 principles of faith of Maimonides. These include: our belief in the Omnipotence of G-d; the truth of our Torah and that it will never be retracted or amended; that we only pray to G-d; and our belief in the coming of Moshiach and of the World to Come.
I was surprised to learn that Nachmanides had a custom to recite various verses from the Torah after his prayers and among them was the verse of “The total for the Tribe of Benyamin was Thirty-Five thousand and four hundred.”
Why? The Chasam Sofer o.b.m. explains as follows: During King David’s reign, he conducted a census, and instead of counting each person by having each person give a half Shekel coin, he did it through a head count.
Something strange began to happen after this census. Every day 100 people died! King David realized that this is due to the Ayin Harah ― the evil eye ― that was set on the Jewish people because they were highlighted by having taken a head count. King David, through recognizing a hint in a verse of the Torah, understood that the remedy to the plague was to institute that each person recite 100 blessings a day. The Gematria of Satan's name Samach-Mem is 100. Thus, the 100 blessings that we recite nullify his evil powers. As soon as this was implemented, the plague stopped. We continued reciting 100 blessings each day till today! The majority of the 100 blessings are fulfilled when we recite our three daily prayers.
The lunar calendar that we follow has 354 days in the year. When we calculate 100 blessings each day for the 354 days – the yearly total of blessings comes to 35,400! – The same number as the count of the Tribe of Benyamin!
Why did the Tribe of Benyamin merit having the yearly total of blessings hinted to in its tribal total? When the land of Israel was divided up amongst to the tribes, the area where the Temple stood in Jerusalem was in the territory of the Tribe of Benyamin. The Temple in Jerusalem is the source of all blessing, as King David, in Psalm 133 when referring to Zion and the eventual Temple in Jerusalem, states, “For there G-d has commanded the Blessing - may there be life forever!” Since Benyamin had the source of blessing in his territory it is fitting that the number of blessings we say in the year corresponds to his tribal count.
We see that each number truly counts!

05/07/2026

D'var Torah: Torah portions: Behar / Bechukosai
Rabbi Dovid Saks

The first of the two portions we read this week is called Behar. Behar means, “at the mountain.” This mountain refers to Mount Sinai, where we received the Torah from G-d.
The portion opens with G-d instructing Moshe, while he was at the Mountain, to speak to the Jewish nation and tell them that when they reach and then settle in the land of Israel they are to engage in agriculture activities for six years, and then throughout the seventh year they are to give the land a rest, a year of Shabbos for the land. During this year all constructive and profitable agricultural activities are forbidden. The fields are to be considered ownerless for the entire seventh year.

This is a pretty challenging law to abide by, and interestingly, the majority of the Jews who were there at Sinai were not even going to make it into the land of Israel after their forty-year journey in the desert.
The obvious question is, what would the Jews do for food during the Sabbatical and Jubilee years when no work may be done? The Torah addresses this, telling us that G-d gave a guarantee that there will be blessing in the crops of the sixth year that would provide enough food to carry them through.

The Jews would have been unable to accept this law, especially since they would not even make it to Israel to see this guarantee fulfilled, had the Torah not introduced this law saying, “It was given at the Mount together with all the other laws of the Torah which were given directly by G-d.” Only G-d Who is in control of every aspect of life and the world could command such a demanding law and could guarantee such an abundant blessing for those who fulfil it!
The Torah mentions the Mitzvah of the observance of Shemitta – the Sabbatical year –and juxtaposes it next to the Mitzvah of observing the weekly Shabbos. The Medrash points out that the Torah specifically mentions the laws of Shabbos in conjunction with the laws of the Sabbatical year, because one might think, since I am observing a ‘Shabbos’ in my fields for an entire year, perhaps, the observance of the weekly Shabbos is suspended and its observance is not necessary during the Sabbatical year. To counter this notion, the Torah specifically places the Mitzvah of Shabbos right by the Mitzvah of Shemitta to tell us that the weekly Shabbos must be observed at all times even in the Shemitta year.
The Shem Mishmuel asks why would we ever think that the weekly Shabbos be suspended during the Sabbatical year? After all, there are 39 categories of laws regarding all facets of activities which constitute forbidden activities on the weekly Shabbos, while the Shemitta law primarily impacts on agricultural activities. So why would we even think that the weekly Shabbos observances would be suspended during Shemitta?
Additionally, while productive actions in the field are forbidden during the Sabbatical year, picking fruit off the tree is permitted during the year, yet, picking attached fruit from a tree is forbidden on the Shabbos. Thus, not all the forbidden agricultural laws on the Shabbos align themselves to what is forbidden during the Sabbatical year, so why would one even entertain the thought that the Laws of Shabbos be suspended during the year of Shemitta?
Perhaps the Torah specifically set up the law of weekly Shabbos next to the Sabbatical year because as groundless as it may sound to absolve the weekly Shabbos during the Shemitta year, still, had the Torah not juxtaposed the two laws, sometime in the future one may make a serious claim that the weekly Shabbos is suspended due to the Sabbatical year. Their reasoning may be luring and enticing for others to actually follow and suspend the restrictions of the weekly Shabbos.
The Torah therefore makes it clear to us by placing the law of the weekly Shabbos next to the law of the Sabbatical year to emphasize that G-d’s treasured gift to us, the Holy Day of Shabbos, is always applicable, essential and binding ever since it was exclusively and eternally given to us!

04/30/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portion: Emor
Rabbi Dovid Saks
Time is precious and fleeting and it’s incumbent upon each person to make the most out of his time.
We’re not always in control of our time. There are times when unexpected pressing matters come up and upend what we had planned to do with our time.
I read an account of a politician who was asked if he could carve out some time to speak with a struggling student who admired him. The politician said his time is not his, for his staff arranges all his meetings, his comings and goings. To his credit he quickly jotted a few words of encouragement to the student, which made a positive impact on him.
When one is a slave, their time is never their own; they are totally beholden to their master.
When the Jews were slaves in Egypt, they were in this predicament. They had no rest except for one day of the week, Shabbos, for when young Moshe was in the palace, being raised by Pharoh’s daughter, he suggested to the Pharoh that the Jews be given a day off so that they could rest and recuperate. He chose the day of Shabbos.
A few weeks before the Jews were freed from Egypt, when they already had been relieved from their slave duties to the Egyptians due to the severity of the plagues, G-d gave the Jews a law that when they witness the appearance of the new moon they were to sanctify the Hebrew month.
With the establishment of the new month – Rosh Chodesh, the Jews had the ability to begin counting the days of the month and were thus able to ascertain and sanctify highlighted dates of the month.
Thus, when G-d stated that they sacrifice the Pascal lamb on the 14th day of the month of Nisan, they knew when it was and were able to sanctify that night as the Holiday of Passover and eat the Pascal lamb with Matzah and Morror.
Essentially, when the laws of Rosh Chodesh were given to the Jews, they were handed control and power over time. One day no longer mirrored the next; each day meant something, and was meant to bridge them to get to the next desired point.
When G-d took the Jews out of Egypt and they were totally freed from Egypt, the Jews took the concept of time to another level.
The Medrash tells us that on the day the Jews were freed from Egypt they asked Moshe, “Where is the Torah that you had told us we will receive upon leaving Egypt?”
Moshe explained to them that they had to wait, and they will receive the Torah in 50 days. Once the Jews heard this, they began to count each day in anticipation for the 50th day when the Torah would be given to them.
When G-d saw the eagerness and anticipation of His nation waiting to receive the Torah as they counted each day, He said, “Because of this, I am going to give a Mitzvah in the Torah for all generations that each year the Jews are to count each day, beginning with the second night of Pesach, when an Omer size of freshly cut and ground barley is to be offered on My Altar in the Temple, up until the fiftieth day, which will determine the Holiday of Shavuos, when I gave the Torah to My beloved nation.”
When the Jews upon exiting Egypt began counting each day towards their goal of receiving the Torah, on their own they showed that they comprehended what the value of time is all about.
They understood that in order to receive the Holy Torah, they needed to raise themselves spiritually each day, and by counting each day, they displayed their appreciation of time!
And so, every year we have a Mitzva to Count the Omer from the second day of Pesach until Shavuos, making a blessing each night. When we count, as our forefathers did when they left Egypt, we convey that we value time, the moments, hours, days and weeks and that we will make the best of every moment.
It is interesting that generally, the law is that one can recite a blessing and exempt another who is listening when they respond, Amain. This is commonly done each Shabbos when the head of the house recites kiddush and Hamotzie and exempts the participants from making their own blessings over the wine and Challah.
With the actual counting the days of the Omer, one cannot exempt another with saying the Omer count aloud. Each person has the responsibility to count the daily Omer count. Why? Perhaps it is because each person is unique in his/her connection to G-d, Torah, Mitzvos and in their relationship with others.
How one person works to elevate themselves is different from another. Every person who counts is considered counted, precious, and valued and has a unique and exclusive relationship with G-d, who is timeless!

04/23/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portions: Acharai Mos / Kedoshim
Rabbi Dovid Saks

I was talking with my sister Nechama the other day and she told me that her adorable four-year-old grandson, Moshe Aryeh, had a respiratory infection and Malka, his mom, took him to the doctor who ordered an x-ray on his lungs. Moshe Aryeh asked his mom what they were going to do. To make things simple, she explained to him that they are going to take a picture of his heart.
Moshe Aryeh turned to his mom in shock and said, “How can they take a picture of my heart, “Hashem G-d – is in my heart!”
The second portion we read this week begins with G-d instructing us to be Kodosh - holy. How does one attempt to be holy? G-d answers this question in the same verse, “Because I am holy.”
This means that G-d invested a bit of Himself in each of us and this Kedusha – holiness – that we always retain within our hearts, gives us the ability to take us to higher levels of holiness.
The Parsha continues with listing 63 Mitzvos out of the 613 Mitzvos we are commanded. This tells us that through the Mitzvos we perform and from the prohibitions we refrain from, we attain holiness.
When one becomes familiar with the Mitzvos of the Torah, he will notice that one individual cannot perform every single Mitzva. For example, some Mitzvos are directed specifically to a Kohain Godol, some to a regular Kohain, Levite or to the King of Israel, and some are specifically for women and some directed to men. Some Mitzvos concern the land and produce of the land of Israel which doesn’t apply to those living outside of Israel.
We see from this, that aside from our personal responsibility to fulfill the Mitzvos that pertain to us individually, we are also bound by communal responsibility to our nation that has the potential to fulfil all the laws of the Torah.
At the conclusion of the Parsha, G-d continues to urge us to be holy and adds that He separated us from the nations of the world to be His. Our great commentator Rashi quotes a Medrash that states: G-d says: If you separate yourselves from the nations of the world, then you are Mine; if not, then you’ll be in the hands of the wicked Nevuchadnetzer (who destroyed the Temple) and those of his ilk.
The Medrash continues: How does one show that he is fulfilling a Mitzva because G-d instructed him to do so, rather than doing it on his own? Rebbe Eliezer ben Azaria (The same sage we quote in the Hagadah) says: A person should not say the reason I refrain from pig meat is because it is repulsive, or I don’t don clothing that is made of linen and wool because it is itchy. Rather one should say, “All that the Torah prohibits me to engage in, is in my power to do and I may even be inclined to indulge in it, however, I refrain from it because my Father in Heaven instructed me otherwise.” This is our ultimate separation from the rest of the world. We say we follow the rules of G-d - not because it is our own choice.
The great Sage, Maimonides, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon o.b.m. authored the Mishneh Torah – an extensive codification on all areas of Halacha – Jewish law – which clarifies and directs us how to observe the Mitzvos of the Torah.
It is also well known that Maimonides was selected as the personal doctor of the Sultan of Egypt. This prestigious position brought along with it the envy of others toward Maimonides the Jew.
One of the top Egyptian officials bent the ear of the Sultan and claimed that Maimonides was not true to his core and was out to harm the Sultan.
The Sultan was caught in a quandary. On the one hand he trusted Maimonides but on the other hand his top official was sharing some ‘intelligence’ with him.
The Sultan decided to place Maimonides’s fate to the “Divine.” He instructed his scribe to take two pieces of paper and write on one, “Life” and on the other “Death” and whichever Maimonides would pick would determine his fate.
As the scribe was about to write the words on the papers, he caught the official’s eye, who mouthed to him, “write ‘death’ on both pieces of paper.” In this way, Maimonides' demise would be certain.
The papers were placed in a box and Maimonides was brought into the room and as he approached the Sultan, the scribe sneered at him with a smirk and said, “Today is the day of your death.”
The Sultan turned to Maimonides and said to him, “It was brought to my attention that you turned on me and wish to harm me.”
Maimonides responded, “There are many in your court who are jealous of me and hate me, but take into consideration that I have proven over and over that I am devoted and loyal to your care and health.”
The Sultan said, “I understand, but I have to do my due diligence to determine who is telling the truth.”
The Sultan then explained to Maimonides that two pieces of paper, one with the word life and the other with the word death were placed in the box and he is to pick one and whatever is written on the paper will determine his fate.
Maimonides quickly recalled what the scribe had snickered at him when he passed him and figured that he had written ‘death’ on both pieces of paper and asked the Sultan, “If in fact it is determined that it was a ruse against me, what would you do to the perpetrators?” The Sultan said they will be killed.
Maimonides placed his hand in the box and pulled out a piece of paper and immediately put it in his mouth and swallowed it! Everyone was stunned by his action.
Maimonides then turned to the Sultan and said there were two pieces in the box, one with life and other with death on it. I swallowed one of them, let’s go check what is written on the paper that is left and that will determine which one I swallowed!
The Sultan picked the remaining paper and it read, “Death.” Thus, the phony official was to be killed. The shocked official couldn’t contain himself and threw himself in front of the Sultan and pleaded for his life. “This is not true justice; this Jew knew that this paper said death on it! The Sultan asked him why? “He then admitted to the Sultan that both papers had the words death on them!”
The Sultan then understood the scam the official and the scribe had employed and he killed them both.
The Sultan then praised the G-d of the Jews who gave His wisdom to those who fear Him!

04/16/2026

Dvar Torah: Torah Portions Tazria / Metzora
Rabbi Dovid Saks

In the beginning of the portion of Tazria, the first of the two portions we read this week, the Torah tells us that when a Jewish boy is born, “On the eighth day of his life, you are to circumcise the flesh of his foreskin.” This command is primarily incumbent upon the father.
Our Sages of the Talmud derive from the Torah’s wording, “And on the eighth day,” that the circumcision is to take place specifically on the eighth day, even if it coincides with the holy day of Shabbos.
It is forbidden for one to make a wound that draws blood on the Shabbos (unless for serious health concerns.) Since a Bris procedure draws blood, the Torah tells us that the Mitzvah of the Bris overrides this general prohibition of the Shabbos.
Rabbi Boruch Epstein o.b.m. wonders, why does the Torah command of performing a Bris override the Shabbos? After all, the Mitzva to observe the Holy day of Shabbos and the mitzvah to perform a Bris both share the category of Mitzvos that are tagged as “Testimonies,” ― meaning, that they demonstrate that we are G-d’s chosen nation. Why should one supersede the other?
For example, the Mitzvah of wearing Tefilin is also categorized as a “Testimony,” yet we do not don Tefilin on Shabbos. So, what is unique about a Bris that transcends the law of Shabbos?
Rabbi Epstein explains. The Talmud rules that a non-Jew is prohibited from fully keeping the laws of Shabbos. This is derived from a verse in the Torah that appears after the flood of Noach where it states, “Day and night you may not cease from working.”
Up until G-d gave our forefather Avraham the Mitzvah to circumcise himself and those of his household, all of society was bound by the law not to rest on the Seventh day of the week. It was G-d’s day of rest only.
Once Avraham, along with his son Yitzchok and the Jewish nation, their descendants thereafter, were commanded to forge a Bris – a covenant – with G-d through an everlasting stamp on their bodies, we became a separate entity and unique from all the nations of the world.
Because of the Mitzva of Bris which we received early on, G-d eventually shared His Personal domain of the Holy Shabbos by giving us the privilege to uphold the Mitzvah of the Holy day of Shabbos when He proclaimed the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai which included the Mitzvah of the weekly Shabbos!
Had we not received the Mitzvah of the Bris, which set us apart from the nations of the world, we would have been bound by the prohibition of, “Day and night you may not cease from working,” and we would not have been eligible to receive the Mitzvah of Shabbos. Therefore, the Shabbos law of prohibiting drawing blood, yields to the holy Mitzvah of Bris!
It is interesting that the Torah commands that a Bris specifically takes place on the eighth day of a child’s life. Why on the eighth day? One answer is that we inaugurate a child into the covenant with G-d on the eighth day, to demonstrate that the Jewish people are not bound by the laws of nature which are represented by the number seven which corresponds to the natural seven-day week. Rather, we are connected to, and exist in, the world of eight, which represents our connection to the realm of the Divine, which is infinite and above and beyond the laws of nature. This is the reason for our endurance and existence today.
Another reason a Bris is on the eighth day of a child’s life is that before he enters into the covenant with G-d, he should first encounter and be invested with the holiness of the day of Shabbos.
Thus, the ‘Testimonial’ Mitzvos of the Shabbos and Bris, which demonstrate our distinctive bond with the Almighty, are interlinked, underscoring the holiness that they both imbue in us!

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