The Bible contains quite a few accounts of direct communication between God and humans. One of the blessed ones is Abraham, an important character in Genesis and especially in Jewish religion. He was a nomad from Ur (Mesopotamia) and God addressed him one day in order to strike a deal with him. God asks for his faithful obedience and exclusive worship, promising in return that He would look after him and his descendants. This covenant involved two parts: a spiritual contract between the two, and a physical one, which required that Abraham and all his male descendants to be circumcised. This mark was to distinguish them from other peoples.
Many have asked "Why circumcision?" It might have been a tattoo or some other attribute. God's specification was that this operation should be performed on the eighth day after a baby boy's birth from then on. The first to undergo this was Abraham himself, which was 90 according to the Bible. This practice is still carried on in the Jewish community, following God's exact initial demands. Nowadays, the event is celebrated within a ceremony called a Berit Milah, or bris, when family and friends gather over a buffet. What is most intriguing and interesting is that medical specialists have claimed that the eighth day is indeed the optimal for the procedure.
This practice has lately been performed outside the Jewish communities, for instance in areas of North America, on infant boys, irrespective of their religion. As a result it has become a controversial topic. There is the opinion according to which circumcision is hygienic and has worthwhile health benefits. On the other hand, some regard it as an act of mutilation inflicted on children. Nevertheless, the Jewish people hold this practice in great esteem because they see it as sacred link with God and the fulfillment of a divine commandment.
Coming back to the story of Abraham, he obeyed what God asked him to do and, in return, he was later given a son, although he was 100, and his wife, Sarah, 90. Their son was called Isaac, who is considered the ancestor of the Jews. Abraham's devotion towards God went to such an extent that he was willing to sacrifice his son at God's request. The demand was made to test Abraham's obedience, but God stopped him just when he was on the verge of sacrificing his son on the altar. A nearby ram was offered instead. This episode has stirred much controversy over the decades because of God's extreme request.
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