בראשית, פרק י״ז, פסוק כ״ז

The covenant between God and Abraham reaches its practical climax in a mass circumcision encompassing the entire household and all the servants. This event is not merely a physical procedure, but a collective entry of an entire community into the faith, reflecting Abraham's immense influence on those around him. Since Abraham's personal commitment was already established, the specific mention of the men of his house is understood by some to refer directly to the household and servants of Ishmael [חזקוני].

The description of the event implies that the procedure was performed by Abraham himself [רד״ק, מחוקקי יהודה]. At the same time, it reveals that the servants and household members accepted the covenant of their own free will, without Abraham needing to force them into compliance [חזקוני].

There is a discussion regarding the exact order of events, particularly considering Abraham's advanced age and physical limits. One approach suggests that Abraham circumcised his servants first, or perhaps appointed several others to perform the task under his close supervision. If he had circumcised himself first, his age and the resulting physical weakness would have prevented him from completing the task for the rest of his household [רמב״ן, מובא בפרדס יוסף]. In contrast, another perspective argues that Abraham's profound eagerness to fulfill God's Commandment drove him to circumcise himself before anyone else [אור החיים, מובא בפרדס יוסף].

This raises a legal question regarding how Abraham could circumcise others while he was still uncircumcised himself. One explanation is that Abraham received direct divine assistance, or that the very act of receiving the Commandment from God immediately changed his status, meaning he was already considered part of the covenant [פרדס יוסף]. Furthermore, Abraham's spiritual level was so elevated that his heart was pure and entirely faithful to God well before the physical act. The procedure itself was simply an outward, public expression of his existing inner greatness [כלי יקר, מובא בפרדס יוסף].

According to tradition, this historic event took place on Yom Kippur. The narrative emphasizes that the household was circumcised alongside Abraham, highlighting the deep connection between him and his servants. Just as the requirement for Abraham to be circumcised overrode the sacredness of Yom Kippur, the strict rules of the holy day were similarly set aside for his servants, as they entered the covenant together with him and through his merit [פרדס יוסף].