Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 17:14

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 17:14

Complete Passuk

וְעָרֵ֣ל ׀ זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר׃

An uncircumcised male who does not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin — that soul shall be cut off from its people; he has broken My covenant.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT: the site of milah is the place that distinguishes male; androgynous does not override Shabbat (no karet if left uncircumcised).

Core Text

Core Text תַּנְיָא: מִנַּיִין לְמִילָה שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם… אָמַר רַבִּי נָתָן, דִּכְתִיב וְעָרֵל זָכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמּוֹל אֶת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ… מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכָּר בֵּין זָכָר לִנְקֵבָה. אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס אֵין מְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת.
English of Core Text: It was taught: from where do we know that milah is in that place… R. Natan said: from “an uncircumcised male who does not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin” — the place that distinguishes male from female. For the androgynous one does not desecrate Shabbat.
On the daf / in context: The karet clause and the word “zachar” together fix both the anatomical site and the limits of Shabbat override for doubtful cases.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

The covenant’s penalty language defines both where milah is performed and when it may not override Shabbat.