<b>And thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20).</b> May it please our masters to teach us: At what age must an infant be circumcised? So do our masters teach us: An infant must be circumcised on the eighth day. Why? Because our patriarch Isaac was circumcised on that day. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: Observe that though nothing is more precious to a man than his own son, he is required to circumcise him. Why must he do that? R. Nahman the son of Samuel said: He does so in order to fulfill the will of his Creator, and even though he witnesses his son’s blood flowing from the circumcision, he welcomes it joyfully. R. Hanina declared: And what is more, he spends his money to celebrate the occasion, something which he was not commanded (to do). Why is that so? Because Scripture states: <i>But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise Thee yet more and more</i> (Ps. 71:14). Not only that, but a man even borrows money and goes into debt (if need be) to celebrate on that day.
R. Yudan asked: When is a son most beloved by his father? When he commences to talk. That is what Scripture says: <i>Is Ephraim a darling son unto me? Is he a child that is a delight?</i><sup class="footnote-marker">1</sup><i class="footnote">Or: <i>that is dandled</i>. See Leviticus Rabbah 2:3.</i> (Jer. 31:20). When does a child become a delight? At the age of three or four years, when he begins to chatter, he becomes a source of delight to his father.
R. Bisna asserted: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: My sons, do for Me what I have done for you: I fed you in the desert, therefore you must sacrifice a lamb unto me: <i>Thou shalt offer in the morning</i> (Exod. 29:39). <i>Then washed I thee with water; yea, I cleansed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with richly woven work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I wound fine linen about thy head, and covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head</i> (Ezek. 16:9–12).
<i>Then washed I thee with water</i> indicates that you must make a laver<sup class="footnote-marker">2</sup><i class="footnote">To be placed in the Temple courtyard for the use of the priests.</i> for Me. <i>I anointed thee with oil</i> corresponds to the anointing oil (that must be available).<sup class="footnote-marker">3</sup><i class="footnote">For anointing the High Priest.</i> <i>I clothed thee also with richly woven work</i> corresponds to the embroidered garments (worn in the Temple). <i>And shod thee with sealskin (tahash)</i> corresponds to the <i>tehashim</i> that were used (for the cover of the Holy of Holies). <i>And I wound fine linen about thy head</i> corresponds to the twisted linen (of the priests’ garments). <i>And covered thee with silk</i> corresponds to the clouds of glory, as it is said: <i>The pillar of cloud departed not from before the people</i> (Exod. 13:22), and that corresponds to the curtains of goats’ hair. <i>I decked thee also with ornaments</i> alludes to the purple cloak, and that corresponds to the ark and its overlay. <i>And I put a ring upon thy nose</i> corresponds to the nose rings and earrings that (the women brought to donate for the gold of the Tabernacle and priestly garments). <i>A beautiful crown upon thy head</i> corresponds to the ark cover and the gold rim around the table. <i>Behold, I will cause to rain bread</i> (Exod. 16:4) corresponds to the show-bread. <i>And the Lord went before them by day</i> (ibid. 13:21) corresponds to His injunction that the Israelites shall burn a lamp continually.