Bris Milah in Sefer Ahavah: Using Your Yetzer Hara for Good

Full Summary

This shiur examines a fascinating question about the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s Mishneh Torah (תורה): why does Bris Milah appear in Sefer Ahavah alongside mitzvos like tefillah and Keriat Shema? The Rambam explains that milah prevents excessive indulgence in physical pleasures, teaching that the goal isn't to be pleasure-seeking but to use pleasure appropriately. The discussion delves into why the Jewish people didn't perform Bris Milah during the 40 years in the desert, while Shevet Levi continued the practice. The Gemara (גמרא) states it was dangerous due to the absence of ruach tzefonah (north wind) needed for healing. Yet some Leviim died from milah, raising the question of whether they were acting improperly. The answer lies in understanding that healing comes when the body heals itself, not from external intervention alone. When Leviim performed milah with genuine love - like a loving pat versus an abusive one - the act itself carried healing power. Those who died were Leviim who thought they were acting with love but were merely fulfilling a mitzvah (מצוה) obligation, overestimating their spiritual level. This connects to a broader principle about using one's yetzer hara constructively. The pasuk "Ve'ahavta es Hashem (ה׳) Elokeicha bechol levavcha" means "bishnei yetzrecha" - serving Hashem with both inclinations. Those who try to kill their yetzer hara rather than channel it properly often fail in their avodas Hashem. True learning excitement comes from the yetzer hara when properly directed. The word ahavah comes from "hav" (give) - real love means giving something of yourself, including your desires and ego. Without a yetzer hara to channel, there's nothing genuine to give. This explains why Bris Milah belongs in Sefer Ahavah - it represents Hashem's love in teaching us to use our drives properly rather than be enslaved by them. The shiur concludes that a person who feels fulfilled and knows who they are cannot truly be abused by others, because they don't accept others' negative perceptions as their own reality. True avodas Hashem involves channeling all our natural drives toward holiness rather than trying to destroy them.