My Covenant With Isaac and the Sweet Smell of the Foreskins

"But My covenant I will establish with Isaac" (Genesis 17:21) - it is written elsewhere [at remez 45]. "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac" - that year was a leap year. "And He finished speaking with him" (Genesis 17:22). It was taught: one who takes leave of his fellow, whether greater or smaller, must take permission from him. From whom do you learn this? From Abraham. Once Abraham was speaking with the Holy One, blessed be He, when the ministering angels came to speak with him. He said to them, let me first take leave of the Divine Presence, who is greater than you, and afterward I will speak with you. When he had finished saying all he needed, he said before Him: Master of the universe, I must speak with the angels. He said to him, take your leave in peace. This is what is written, "And God went up from upon Abraham." Resh Lakish said, the patriarchs are themselves the chariot, as it is said, "And He went up from upon him." "And Abraham took Ishmael his son" (Genesis 17:23). When Abraham circumcised those born in his household, he set them up as a mound of foreskins, and the sun shone upon them and they bred worms, and their smell rose before the Holy One, blessed be He, like the incense of spices and like a burnt offering wholly consumed by the fire. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, when his children come to evil deeds, I will remember that fragrance and be filled with mercy toward them. "And Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, and Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised" (Genesis 17:24-25). Here you say "the flesh of his foreskin" and there you say "the flesh of his foreskin" with an added word - rather, Abraham, since the flesh of his foreskin had been worn down through a woman, while Ishmael, who had not been worn down through a woman. "On that very day Abraham was circumcised" (Genesis 17:26). It is written, "Not from the beginning did I speak in secret" (Isaiah 48:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, had Abraham circumcised at night, now all his generation would say such and such: had we known, we would not have let him circumcise. Rather, "on that very day." "Abraham was circumcised" - he felt it and was pained, so that the Holy One, blessed be He, would double his reward. Rabbi Levi said, it does not say here "Abraham circumcised himself" but "Abraham was circumcised" - he examined himself and found himself already circumcised. At that Rav Berekhiah mocked Rabbi Levi, saying, you are a liar and a deceiver. Rather, he felt it and was pained, so that the Holy One, blessed be He, would double his reward. "And all the men of his house, born in the house, etc." It was taught: one may go to a gentile fair on the intermediate days of a festival and buy from them houses, fields, vineyards, slaves, and maidservants. Rav Ami in the name of Resh Lakish said, not only does he buy circumcised slaves, but even uncircumcised slaves, because he brings them under the wings of the Divine Presence.