Avraham was commanded to circumcise himself, and the mitzvah of bris mila was born. At eight days old, all Jewish males are to have this operation to bring them into the covenant of HaShem. For millennia, this mitzvah has come under fire from people for numerous reasons. Some have called it barbaric; others have claimed that if G-d wanted people to be circumcised He would have created them that way.
R’ Akiva was asked whether the deeds of man or the deeds of G-d were superior, in an obvious attempt to make him say that G-d’s works were better, thus contradicting man’s involvement in performing bris mila. His answer was that the deeds of Man are greater, and brought as his proof a choice of eating a loaf of bread (Man’s work,) or some stalks of wheat (G-d’s work.) He explained that G-d leaves things in the world incomplete, allowing us to become His partners in creation.
Those who oppose bris by saying it hampers physical function also misunderstand. Bris represents mastery over the physical urges symbolized by that part of the body. In essence, this basic mitzvah reminds us that as Jews we are not merely physical beings, but physical beings in transformation, en route to becoming spiritual ones.
