The Torah of Circumcision and the Passover Meal for Yisraelites
By Rabbi Edward "Levi" Nydle
B’nai Avraham Messianic Congregation
" He who is borne in your house, and he who is bought with your silver, HAS to be circumcised. So shall MY covenant be in your FLESH, for an EVERLASTING COVENANT. And an UNCIRCUMCISED male child, who is not circumcised in the FLESH of his foreskin, his life shall be cut off from his people—he has broken MY covenant." Bereshith (Gen.) 17:13-14
"And YAHWEH said to Moshe and Aharon, "This is the Torah (law) of the Passover: No son of a stranger is to eat of it, but if any servant a man has bought for silver, WHEN YOU HAVE CIRCUMCISED HIM, THEN let him eat of it...And when a stranger sojourns with you and shall perform the Passover to YAHWEH, let ALL his males be circumcised, and THEN let him come near and perform it, and he shall BE AS A NATIVE OF THE LAND. BUT, LET NO UNCIRCUMCISED EAT OF IT. There is ONE TORAH for the native born and for the stranger who sojourns among you." Shemot (Ex.) 12:43-44,48-49
Passover will soon be here, and many Yisraelites will be gathering in homes and congregations to perform Yahweh’s Passover. Many have been wondering what the Torah concerning Passover is, and do we as Messianic Yisraelites need to be circumcised to partake of Yahweh’s Passover. Is circumcision now of the "heart" only as many are teaching? Has Yahweh done away with the token of circumcision of the flesh for Yisrael? Was this changed by Yahshua’s death? This article is my attempt to answer from SCRIPTURE these and many other questions concerning circumcision and the Passover.
To whom was circumcision given?
The Torah tells us that YAHWEH gave circumcision to Avraham and his SEED (ZERA) or physical descendants as an everlasting covenant.
• Everlasting (Strong's #5769) "olam" in Hebrew meaning, "concealed, to the vanishing point, time out of mind, ETERNITY, always, eternal, perpetual, world without end."
• Covenant Strong's #1285) Hebrew: "berit" meaning. " cutting, league, pact"
The Scriptures tell us that the BRIT MILAH (Covenant of Circumcision) is an eternal agreement that YAHWEH made with Avraham our father and ALL HIS PHYSICAL SEED AFTER HIM. We are told in Galatians 3:7 that, "Know, then, that those who are of belief are the sons (b’nai or children) of Avraham." We also read in Galatians 3:29, " And if you are of Messiah, THEN you are SEED (zera) of Avraham, and heirs according to promise."
• The Truth About All Israel by Rabbi Moshe Joseph Koniuchowsky page 94:
"..The Midrash continues down to Gal.3: 29 which states that if you are Messiah’s (by saving faith) then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise. What are you? Abraham’s’ sperm! Sperm is derived from the Greek word sperma. Sperma means, "something sown, seed, including male sperm, offspring, a remnant, issue, seed." The noun is purely physical, pertaining to male sperm and their offspring, giving forth a remnant issue (people)."
• The Holy Bible translated by George Lamsa, Gal. 3:29; "So if you belong to [Messiah], then you are DESCENDANTS of Abraham..."
• Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines "Descendant," n. 1. One descended from another or from COMMON STOCK 2. One deriving directly from a precursor or prototype."
If we as Messianic Yisrael believe that we are the PHYSICAL seed or descendants of Avraham, then the covenant that Yahweh made with Avraham and ALL his descendants after him belongs to us and is eternal in nature. Therefore according to Scripture, the seed of Avraham should be circumcised in the flesh as a token (‘ot- a signal, flag, beacon, monument, omen, evidence, prodigy etc., mark, sign, token, miracle) that we are heirs of the Yahweh’s covenant with Avraham.
The Torah Concerning The Passover
According to Shemot (Ex.) 12:44, 48; Yahoshua (Joshua) 5:7-11 Yahweh COMMANDED ALL MALES of Yisrael to be circumcised in order to perform the Passover. This COMMAND was also for the stranger (#1616 ger-a guest, foreigner, alien, sojourner) that wished to partake of the Passover with Yisrael. NO ONE WHO WAS UNCIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH WAS TO PARTAKE OF THE PASSOVER WITH YISRAEL! THIS WAS A LAW OR TORAH FROM YAHWEH! They must have the token or evidence of the Avrahamic Covenant cut in their flesh to be able to perform the Passover.
We are then told that there is ONE law for the Yisraelite and the stranger (Bemidbar –Numbers 15:15-16, 29-30). There are not to be two different requirements or instructions for Passover. One law for the Yisraelite and one for the stranger among us. That makes TWO different laws, a violation of Torah. This Torah applies to all alike and there is to be no distinction between the stranger and the Yisraelite. This ordinance concerning the Passover was to be for all generations of Yisraelites (Shemot-Exodus 12:14,17). It is an everlasting law according to Yahweh. Are we a generation of Yisraelites?
•Mattithyahu 5:18, "For truly I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, NOT ONE JOT OR TITTLE SHALL BY NO MEANS PASS FROM THE TORAH till all be done." (Yahshua)
• Devarim (Deut.) 4:2, "Do not ADD to the Word which I command you, and do not TAKE AWAY FROM it, so as to guard the commands which I am commanding you."
• Devarim (Deut.) 12:32, " ALL the words I am commanding you, guard to do it, DO NOT ADD TO IT NOR TAKE FROM AWAY FROM IT."
Yahshua, the Moshiach of all Yisrael, has stated very clearly that the Torah of Yahweh will NEVER pass away .His death by impalement on the tree did NOT do away with the Torah laws concerning the Passover, and this includes circumcision as a requirement to participate in its observance. Doesn’t everlasting mean forever-OLAM, just as Yahshua taught? YAHWEH has also commanded us not to take away from any of His Torah. If any of the Torah is done away with, then all of it is! If we, as Yisrael, start taking away from the Torah or even adding to it then we have become like the "church", and begin to pick and choose what is binding and what is not.
Circumcision of the Heart
So many Believers even in the Messianic Movement believe that the Brit Chadasha has "changed" circumcision to that of the heart. THIS IS NOT TRUE AS YAHWEH EXPECTED YISRAEL OF OLD TO HAVE CIRCUMCISED HEARTS! THIS IS NOT A RENEWED COVENANT CONCEPT OR COMMAND. IT WAS GIVEN TO YISRAEL IN THE TORAH FROM THE BEGINNING.
• Devarim (Deut.) 10:16, " And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your HEART, and harden your neck no more."
• Devarim (Deut.) 30:6, "And Yahweh your Elohim shall circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being, so that you night live."
When the Torah was given Yahweh expect Yisrael to have BOTH circumcised flesh and heart! It both a natural and the spiritual circumcision. Yahweh requires BOTH!
The circumcision of the flesh is the outward sign of Yahweh’s Covenant. The inward or heart circumcision is the inward cutting away of our fleshly desires from our heart so we can serve Yahweh with ALL our hearts. We are to be a set-apart people both outwardly and inwardly. It also follows the pattern given in the Scriptures –first the natural and then the spiritual. But it takes BOTH! All the commandments of Torah are spiritual (Romans 7:14).
•1 Corinthians 15:46-47, "The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and AFTERWARD the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second Man is the Master from heaven."
In our flesh we have the sign of our Father Avraham, the earthy father (Avraham’s circumcision); and in our hearts we bear the sign of the spiritual man from heaven, Yahshua the Messiah, the circumcision of the heart (Col.2: 11) or Messiah’s circumcision of the inward man. Our circumcision of the flesh is to serve as a reminder of the circumcision of our hearts. The male member represents all the fleshy, lustfuldesires of our carnal nature and so it has the flesh cut away. The heart then represents all the evil carnal desires of the HEART that must be cut away! Yahweh requires both. The Scriptures give us this proof:
• Yirmeyahu (Jer.) 9:25, "See, the days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when I shall punish ALL the circumcised with the uncircumcised — Mitsrayim, and YAHUDAH, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all those trimmed on the edges [of their hair], who dwell in the wilderness. For ALL the gentiles are uncircumcised, and ALL the House of Yisrael are uncircumcised in heart!"
• Yechezqel (Ezek.) 44:7,9, "...that you brought in sons of the foreigner, UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN FLESH, to be in My set-a [art place to profane it, MY HOUSE! …Thus said the Master Yahweh, "NO SON OF A FOREIGNER, UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART OR UNCIRCUMCISED IN FLESH, COMES INTO MY SET-APART PLACE, EVEN ANY SON OF A FOREIGNER WHO IS AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL."
In the millennium no one uncircumcised in flesh or heart will be allowed into the Temple! This means it has to be done BEFORE THE RESURRECTION AT YAHSHUA’S RETURN BECAUSE IN THE RESURRECTION WE WILL NOT HAVE BLOOD IN OUR BODIES! Therefore there could be no blood spilt in the cutting off of flesh in Brit Milah. Our flesh will be no more and we will have bodies like Yahshua’s!
Rabbi Moshe Koniuchowsky writes in "Circumcision Liberty for New Covenant Israel":
• "The Passover celebration is to be guarded forever, and so the 3 requirements, INCLUDING MALE CIRCUMCISION MUST ALSO BE FOREVER. Where does that leave the Messianic Israelites who claim that heart circumcision is a legitimate prerequisite for Passover celebration and Israelite citizenship? It simply does not meet the LITERAL REQUIREMENT of Torah."
The Symbolism of Brit Milah
The brit is connected to the sacrifice of the flesh. The akedah (binding) of Yitschak is the scene usually depicted on the mohel’s circumcision knife. It is an act of offering up to Yahweh our flesh as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). We are setting apart ourselves to Yahweh and to the continuity of the coming generations (by the cutting of the male member) of Yisraelites. Circumcision has always represented the distinction of the Yisraelite from the pagans around them that worshipped the body (the Greeks, Romans, and cults of Ashtoreth and Dionysus). Also, a child is circumcised on the eighth day-the day of new beginnings and symbolizing eternity. It is his entrance into the community of the true faith of Yisrael .It is the symbol of the eternal covenant Yahweh made with Avraham.
The term "uncircumcised" symbolizes that something is spiritually incomplete or obstructed, such as "uncircumcised" lips, ears, and heart (Shemot –Exodus 6:12; Devarim –Deut. 10:16; Yirmeyahu-Jer. 6:10).
In the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant)
Many teach that Rav Shaul opposed the circumcision of non-Jewish Believers in Yahshua. This is due to misinterpretation the certain verses (Acts 15:5; 1 Cor.7: 18; Gal.6: 12-13) that seem to teach this false doctrine of uncircumcision for Believers in the Jewish Messiah. Rabbi Moshe writes in "Circumcision Liberty":
•" The entire supposed prohibition against physical circumcision, which appears only in the Book of Galatians, is one of the most misunderstood areas of Holy Writ…Physical circumcision is not a Torah ordinance alone, but in fact pre-dates the Torah by some 600 years. Thus how could Paul call Believers Abraham’s sperma (Greek) or seed in Gal.3: 29 identifying them with the Abrahamic Covenant….
"And then withhold Brit Milah or circumcision the VERY TOKEN and ENTRY POINT into the Abrahamic Covenant to all the new pagan (aperitome-uncircumcised) converts, especially in the light of the returning akrobustia (Ephraimites)?"
We have three groups of people in the Brit Chadasha: the uncircumcised, known in the Greek as the akrobustia or tossed way foreskins #203 in Strong’s; the circumcised or Yahudim called the peritome #4061 in Strong’s; and the uncircumcised Gentiles called the aperitome in Greek. The akrobustia were actually the Ephraimites who were scattered among the Gentiles or nations who once practiced Torah and circumcision (see The Truth About All Israel by Rabbi Moshe Koniuchowsky pages 65-69). In Ephesians 2:11, Rav Shaul is referring to the akrobustia or uncircumcised as a derogatory term the Yahudim called the Ephraimites (Yisraelites) who no longer practiced circumcision and Torah. This is also the reference in Galatians 2:7. Otherwise, they, the Yisraelites from the Northern Kingdom of Israel had tossed away the SIGN of the covenant-namely circumcision! Therefore when reading the Renewed Covenant it is very important to check the Greek to see to whom Rav Shaul and the other Talmidim are speaking. But, nowhere in the Brit Chadasha do we see Rav Shaul forbidding the Avrahamic Circumcision to any new convert.
• "In context the entire Galatian Heresy has NOTHING TO DO WITH ABRAHAMIC CIRCUMCISION, BUT TEACHING A FALSEHOOD THAT THE JERUSALEM BRETHREN WERE PROLIFERATING IN GALATIA. Namely, that a person trusting in Yahshua by saving faith, COULD NOT BE SAVED WITHOUT A MAN-ORDAINED CONVERSION TO BECOME JEWISH (PERITOME) OR CONVERT TO JUDAISM! That is heresy, because the gospel is free to all whosoever will come. Therefore the book of Galatians forbids man-made conversions to Judaism (the peritome or the circumcised nation), as some sort of necessary prerequisite to receive the blood of Yahshua’s forgiveness. Nowhere does he or any other apostle for that matter FORBID THE TOKEN OF GENESIS 17:23 TO A NEW CONVERT. We can rest assured that new converts to Messiah were being circumcised just as Timothy was, who being Greek, most likely had Ephraimite (father) and Jewish (mother) bloodlines. Therefore Titus must also have been circumcised, in order for Paul to be consistent. Neither Timothy not Titus was biblically Jewish."
We understand then that the point of contention with Rav Shaul is NOT the Avrahamic circumcision of Bereshith (Gen.) 17(which Avraham received from Yahweh as a LAW –Bereshith 26:5), but the circumcision of Moshe, or a circumcision of conversion to Rabbinical Judaism to obtain justification with Yahweh -which is a man-made doctrine and a heresy. Yahshua, Himself said in Yochanan 7:22-23, " Because of this Mosheh has given you circumcision-THOUGH IT IS NOT FROM MOSHEH BUT FROM THE FATHERS-and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the Torah of Mosheh SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN, are you wroth with Me because I made a man entirely well on the Sabbath?"
Not Boasting in the Flesh
As a warning to us who have been circumcised:
• "For we are the circumcision (Yahudim), who are serving Elohim in the Spirit, and BOASTING IN MESSIAH YAHSHUA, and do not trust in the flesh." Philipians 3:3
• " And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Avraham as father.’ For I say to you that Elohim is able to raise up children to Avraham from these stones." Mattithyahu 3:9 Yochanan the Immerser
• "They answered and said to Him, "Avraham is our father." Yahshua said to them, " IF YOU WERE AVRAHAM’S CHILDREN, YOU WOULD DO THE WORKS OF AVRAHAM." Yochanan 8:39
And what were the works of our father Avraham? According to Romans chapter 4:1-25 Avraham was declared right by belief (not faith) BEFORE he under went circumcision. He received circumcision as a SEAL of the righteousness while in uncircumcision. What did he believe? Yahweh declared Avraham righteous when he believed (or acted upon the promise and word of Yahweh) Yahweh would:
• Make his descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea.
• He would be the father of many nations.
• That the blessing would be passed on the Yitztkak and Ya’akov.
• That from Ya’akov would come the kahal-edah-ekklesia-congregation of Yisrael!
• That in his SEED (Moshiach) all the nations (goyim) would be blessed!
Romans 4 declares that Avraham is the father of all who trust or believe Yahweh (Romans 4:12), and walk in his steps of belief as he did. So, we also inherit the promises made to him by Yahweh (verse 16). After we are declared righteous by Yahweh by belief, then we too must have the seal of the righteousness that our father Avraham received as THE SIGN OF THE AVRAHAMIC COVENANT, if we are to be heirs along with him of that promise. Circumcision is the sign (ot Hebrew) of covenant of Avraham’s seed just as a wedding ring is the token or sign of the marriage covenant.
Penalty of non-circumcision
We read in Bereshith (Gen.) 17:14, " And an uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised IN THE FLESH of his foreskin, his life shall be cut off (karat) from his people-he has broken MY covenant." The Hebrew KARAT means to destroy, perish, or consume. It is the very same root that COVENANT comes from in the Hebrew.
• Artscroll Chumash page 75, " A commandment consists of TWO parts; the physical act [the letter of the law –Rav Ed] and its underlying moral or spiritual teaching [the spirit of the law- Rav Ed]- and neither is complete without the other [the natural then the spiritual-Rav Ed]. Just as it is not enough to perform the commanded deeds if they are denuded of the intellectual and moral content, so it is not enough to philosophize [spiritualize-Rav Ed] on the commandments and seek moral improvement without performing the commandments. Hence, the physical act is the covenant, but it is also the sign of the covenants deeper meaning. Circumcision is a literal sign, a mark, on the body, stamping its bearer as a servant of [YAH]; just as their souls are different than those of other nations [gentiles], so their bodies must be different."
• Artscroll Chumash page 75, " Shall be cut off", An adult who INTENTIONALLY REMAINS UNCIRCUMCISED SUFFERS KARAT spiritual excision. Excision means that the soul loses its share in the World to Come, and the violator may die childless and prematurely."
If we truly believe and teach we of Messianic Yisrael are the physical SEED (ZERA) of Avraham and a part of the commonwealth of Israel through belief in Moshiach, then we need to be circumcised as part of his descendants and family members of the promise given to father Avraham. Yahweh has declared that both the uncircumcised in the FLESH AND THE HEART will suffer punishment (Jer.9).
Summary
Scripture from the Torah of Yahweh teaches us that in order for ANY MALE TO EAT OF THE PASSOVER MEAL THEY MUST BE CIRCUMCISED IN THE FLESH! There is no way around this command of Torah. We can try to spiritualize it away as the "kirche" does and say it is just of the heart now, but that is taking from the Torah as Yahweh gave it to Avraham and Moshe. This form of interpretation also takes away from the pashat or simple meaning of the verses cited for the Passover meal. Yahweh requires both circumcisions (flesh and heart) as we have seen from Scripture.
Yahshua Himself was circumcised on the eighth day as the Torah commanded (Luke 2:21). In Luke 2:39 we read, "And when they had accomplished ALL matters according to the Torah of YAHWEH, they returned to Galil, to their city Natsaret." 1 Yochanan (John) 2:6 says, "The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, EVEN AS HE WALKED." If we love Yahweh we will keep His commands. Yes, we are justified by belief in Yahweh’s Moshiach Yahshua, but our belief is demonstrated by obedience to the Torah (Ya’akov –James 2). Ivrim (Hebrews) 11 clearly shows us that those who acted upon their belief pleased Yahweh (Ivrim 11:6).
Believe is a VERB (action) while faith is a noun. In the Hebraic mind, belief always infers action upon what has been heard from the mouth of Yahweh (Romans 2:13; James –Ya’akov 2: 22-24).
Passover is approaching very soon. Are we going to obey Yahweh’s Torah so we may participate in the Passover? " Therefore cleanse out the old leaven, so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened. For Messiah our Passover was offered for us. So let us observe the festival [of Passover], not with the old leaven, nor the leaven of evil and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. Let us obey Yahweh from a heart that is circumcised desiring to do His will. May Yahweh bless you as you celebrate His Passover with understanding of this Torah of Passover and circumcision.
Rabbi Edward Levi Nydle
(The above article was written by Rabbi Nydle prior to Passover (Roman year 2001) in response to many questions regarding circumcision. Yahshua Ohr HaOlam heartily concurs with Rav. Nydle's conclusion Questions or comments regarding this article may be addressed directly to the author via the B'Nai Avraham link found under "Links" on this site).