When Abram Was Ninety Years Old and Nine

"And Abram was ninety years old," and so forth. May our master teach us: Is it permitted to heal one's wound on the Sabbath? Thus our Rabbis taught: Any possible danger to life overrides the Sabbath, and circumcision and its healing override the Sabbath. Rabbi Yose said: See how beloved is the commandment of circumcision, that it overrides the Sabbath, as it is written: "And on the eighth day he shall be circumcised" (Leviticus 12:3), even on the Sabbath. And circumcision involves possible danger to life; therefore it is permitted to heal it on the Sabbath. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, "Walk before Me and be perfect," he began to wonder. He said: Until now I am perfect; if I am circumcised, I will be lacking. There are five foreskins: four in a person and one in a tree. Of the foreskin of the ear it is written: "Behold, their ear is uncircumcised" (Jeremiah 6:10). The foreskin of the heart, as it is written: "And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart" (Deuteronomy 10:16). The foreskin of the tongue, as it is written: "of uncircumcised lips" (Exodus 6:12). The foreskin of the flesh, as it is written: "And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin" (Genesis 17:11). If I circumcise one of these, I will be found lacking some of my limbs. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: What do you suppose, that you are perfect and complete? You are lacking five limbs. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Until you are circumcised, your name was Abram: alef, one; bet, two; resh, two hundred; mem, forty; behold, two hundred forty-three. And the number of limbs in a person is two hundred forty-eight: "be circumcised and be perfect." When he was circumcised, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham." He added to him the letter he, five, completing the count of two hundred forty-eight limbs. Therefore, "and be perfect."