The Second Circumcision the Uncovering Rite and Elijah Angel of the Covenant

"At that time the LORD said to Joshua" (Joshua 5:2). Rabbah bar Yitzchak said: The uncovering (peri'ah) of circumcision was not given to Abraham our father, as it is said, "At that time the LORD said to Joshua..." And perhaps it refers to those who were not circumcised at all? But it is written, "for they were circumcised" (Joshua 5:5). If so, what is the meaning of "again" and what is "a second time"? Rather, it must refer to the uncovering, and to compare the completion of the circumcision to its beginning: just as the beginning of the circumcision is indispensable, so too the completion of the circumcision is indispensable, as we have learned: These are the shreds that invalidate the circumcision - the flesh that covers the greater part of the height of the corona. And in the wilderness, why were they not circumcised? If you say because of the weakness of the journey, and if you say because the north wind did not blow for them - for it is taught: All those forty years that Israel were in the wilderness the north wind did not blow for them. What is the reason? If you say because they were under rebuke, and if you say so that the clouds of glory should not be scattered. Rav Pappa said: Therefore on a cloudy day we do not circumcise and we do not let blood; but nowadays, since many have trodden this path, "the LORD preserves the simple" (Psalms 116:6). It is taught: Rabbi Yishmael says: Did uncircumcised men hear the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, at Sinai, and He gave them the Torah? Heaven forbid; rather they were circumcised, but not properly - they would cut but not uncover, and whoever circumcises and does not uncover, it is as though he did not circumcise. Therefore Scripture says, "they were not circumcised." And when Israel came to the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joshua: Joshua, do you not know that Israel are not circumcised in their proper and fitting way? Go back and circumcise Israel a second time, as it is said, "and circumcise the children of Israel again a second time" (Joshua 5:2). And he gathered all the foreskins until he made of them a hill, as it is said, "and he circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins" (Joshua 5:3). And Israel would take the foreskins and the blood and cover them with the dust of the wilderness. And when Balaam came and saw the whole wilderness full of foreskins, he said: Who can stand against the merit of this, which is covered in the wilderness in dust? as it is said, "Who can count the dust of Jacob?" (Numbers 23:10). From here the Sages ordained that one should cover the foreskin with the dust of the earth, to which they were compared, as it is said, "and your seed shall be as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 28:14). And so Israel kept circumcising until they split into two kingdoms. The kingdom of Ephraim withheld circumcision from them, and Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and was very zealous and swore to the heavens not to bring down dew or rain; and Jezebel heard and sought to kill him. Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and was praying before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Elijah, are you better than your fathers? Jacob fled from Esau, as it is said, "arise, flee" (Genesis 27:43); Moses fled from Pharaoh, as it is said, "and Moses fled from Pharaoh" (Exodus 2:15); David fled from Saul, as it is said, "and David fled and escaped" (1 Samuel 19:18) - this teaches that everyone who flees escapes. And Elijah, of blessed memory, arose and went to Mount Horeb, and there the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him and said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and he said, "I have been very zealous" (1 Kings 19:9-10). He said to him: You are always zealous; you were zealous at Shittim over the uncovering of nakedness, and here you are zealous. By your life, Israel shall not perform a circumcision until you see it with your own eyes. From here they ordained to make a seat of honor for the angel of the covenant, who is called Elijah, of blessed memory, the angel of the covenant, as it is said, "and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire, behold he comes" (Malachi 3:1).