Derasha 3 on Lech Lecha 17:1

TT #3 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 17:1

Complete Passuk

…וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃

…and be whole.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT: great is milah — Avraham was not called complete until he was circumcised.

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַבִּי: גְּדוֹלָה מִילָה, שֶׁכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לֹא נִקְרָא שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁמָּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים.
English of Core Text: Rabbi said: great is circumcision — for all the mitzvot that Avraham our father performed, he was not called complete until he was circumcised, as it is said “walk before Me and be whole.”
On the daf / in context: The command “be whole” is the textual hinge that makes milah the completion of Avraham’s prior service.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Milah is the act that rendered Avraham “tamim.”