Shemos 4:25 · unit 1 — Tzipporah took a flint

Parashas Shemos

The Complete Passuk

וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עׇרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃

iMeaning of verses uncertain. So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched his legs with it, saying, “You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!”

Chabad.org — 4:25

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Nedarim 32a / Avodah Zarah 27a (verified).

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

ותקח צפורה צור — מלמד שהאשה כשרה למול.

English: “And Tzipporah took a flint” — this teaches that a woman is valid to perform circumcision.

On the daf / in context: The narrative is the classic proof-text that a woman may serve as a mohel; the halachah follows this view.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal derive from Tzipporah’s act that a woman is qualified to circumcise.

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