Rabbi Akiva and Turnus Rufus on Circumcision and Human Craft

"And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" (Leviticus 12:3). It is not written here that one should lay out expenses. See how much Israel cherishes the commandments, how many expenses they lay out in order to keep them! The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You make the commandments joyful, so I too will add joy for you, as it is said, "Then the humble shall increase their joy in the LORD" (Isaiah 29:19). Turnus Rufus the Wicked asked Rabbi Akiva: Which works are more beautiful, those of the Holy One, blessed be He, or those of flesh and blood? He said to him: Those of flesh and blood are more beautiful. Turnus Rufus the Wicked said to him: Behold the heavens and the earth—are you able to make anything like them? Rabbi Akiva said to him: Do not speak to me of a matter that is above mortal creatures, over which they have no mastery, but rather of things that are found among human beings. He said to him: Why do you circumcise? He said to him: I knew that you were going to say this to me, and therefore I anticipated it and told you that the works of flesh and blood are more beautiful than those of the Holy One, blessed be He. Bring me ears of grain and fine loaves. [He said to him: These are the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, and these are the work of flesh and blood—are these not more beautiful? Bring me] stalks of flax and garments from Beth-shean. He said to him: These are the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, and these are the work of flesh and blood—are these not more beautiful? Turnus Rufus said to him: Since He desires circumcision, why does the infant not come out circumcised from his mother's womb? Rabbi Akiva said to him: And why does his umbilical cord come out with him—does not his mother cut his cord? And why does he not come out circumcised? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel the commandments only in order to refine them through them. Therefore David said, "The word of the LORD is refined" (Psalms 18:31).