Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 17:11

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 17:11

Complete Passuk

וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT: milah overrides Shabbat — both are called “sign / covenant / generations.”

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: בְּמִילָה כְּתִיב אוֹת בְּרִית וְדוֹרוֹת, וּבְשַׁבָּת כְּתִיב אוֹת בְּרִית וְדוֹרוֹת — מִכָּאן לְמִילָה שֶׁדּוֹחָה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.
English of Core Text: Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: concerning milah it is written “sign, covenant, generations,” and concerning Shabbat it is written “sign, covenant, generations” — from here, milah overrides Shabbat.
On the daf / in context: The shared vocabulary creates a gezerah-shavah-style linkage that privileges the timely performance of milah even on Shabbat.

Type of Learning

Gezerah shavah / Custom

What Is Learned

The identical covenantal language of milah and Shabbat is the classic source for milah’s priority on the eighth day even when it falls on Shabbat.