Rambam on Bris Milah: Beyond Physical to Spiritual Transformation

Full Summary

This shiur examines the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s approach to Bris Milah in the Moreh Nevuchim, analyzing his statement that circumcision serves to reduce physical desire rather than simply create a test to overcome it. Rabbi Zweig addresses the Yavetz's challenge to the Rambam's position, which appears contradictory to the principle of 'lefum tzara agra' (reward is proportional to effort). The Rambam explains that all mitzvos connected to forbidden relationships aim to reduce excessive intimacy and prevent a person from being solely pleasure-focused. The core insight is that orlah represents a blockage that creates a self-gratifying entity, while removing the orlah enables a person to want to do things for others, beginning with the desire to have children and empower one's spouse. Rabbi Zweig contrasts this with modern secular attitudes, describing a psychology class where 40 students booed a married pregnant classmate, representing a culture of extreme self-focus. He explains that Jewish marriage fundamentally differs from non-Jewish relationships - it's about empowerment rather than control or mere compatibility. The gemara (גמרא)'s description of Achashverosh calling Vashti 'sheli' (mine) exemplifies the objectifying attitude that Bris Milah comes to transform. A Jewish king, by contrast, is defined by his ability to smile and empower others, as derived from the verse about Yehudah having 'white teeth' - meaning he makes others smile. Rabbi Zweig emphasizes that marriage is a three-way partnership between husband, wife, and Hashem (ה׳), aimed at creating eternity. The husband's role is to recognize his wife's spiritual superiority and make her feel valued for the tremendous work of raising children. This transformation of attitude - from self-gratification to empowerment - represents the deeper purpose of Bris Milah and explains why it has unique halachic status separate from other mitzvos. The resolution to the Yavetz's question is that 'lefum tzara agra' applies when performing the same action with different levels of struggle, but here the reduced desire actually creates a qualitatively different and superior action - empowering others rather than merely restraining oneself.