When a woman conceives and gives birth... (Lev. 12:2)
This Torah portion is immediately preceded by the words “to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten,” to teach that keeping kosher has a direct effect upon the spirituality of future generations. (Nachmanides)
And on the eighth day shall he be circumcised (Lev. 12:3)
The Midrash says: “How great is the Sabbath day, that a baby is not circumcised until he has passed one Shabbat.” A circumcision (brit mila) is performed on the eighth day of the baby’s life, insuring that he will have passed at least one Shabbat. The Shabbat itself makes the child holy, and prepares him for the holiness of the mitzva of brit mila. (Yalkut Yehuda)
At a brit mila we say, “Just as he has entered into the Covenant so may he enter into Torah, into marriage and into good deeds.” It is a Chabad Chasidic custom to make an advance payment on the tuition fees for the child’s Jewish education at this time. (Hayom Yom)
