If God Created Us Perfect, Why Do We Need Circumcision?

From R Nir Menussi: ShiurBank by R Nir Menussi.

• Published: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT
• Duration: 58:31
• Audio: https://www.shiurbank.org/feeds/audio/c75b2446-836a-4b3b-ba70-0036b5a535e5.mp3
• Page: https://www.shiurbank.org/shiur/c75b2446-836a-4b3b-ba70-0036b5a535e5?v=11
• TorahApp: https://torahapp.org/share/p/SB_nir-menussi/e/shiurbank%3Ashiur%3Ac75b2446-836a-4b3b-ba70-0036b5a535e5

If God made us perfect, why circumcise? When the Roman governor Turnus Rufus put this question to Rabbi Akiva, his answer revealed the secret of brit milah, and of our role in creation.In this class on Parashat Lech Lecha, Rabbi Nir Menussi explores the inner meaning of circumcision: why God deliberately left the world, and us, unfinished, and how the covenant that begins in the body is meant to reach all the way to the heart. Drawing on Midrash, Kabbalah and Chassidut, we discover how brit milah transforms raw nature into a "second nature" of refinement, empathy and love. What We Cover: 🧩 Made Unfinished: Rabbi Akiva's answer, and why the human touch completes creation. 🧩 From Body to Heart: "Circumcise the foreskin of your heart" and the work of inner refinement. 🧩 Why Men?: The fire in ish and ishah, and how the brit turns self-absorption into empathy. 🧩 Accepting Before Changing: The Shalom Zachar, and why real growth begins with embracing who we are. ✨ Connect & Learn More: https://linktr.ee/menussi ✨ Support our work: https://mailchi.mp/nehiru/support ✨ Join the Sunday class: https://www.torahcomestolife.com/learn#LechLecha #BritMilah #Kabbalah #Chassidut #JewishThought #Torah #RabbiNirMenussi

Series: Torah Comes to Life | Jewish Wisdom for Our Time

Speaker: Rabbi Nir Menussi

Date: 2026-10-22