A new generation is born

Each time a new baby is born, it’s a sign of growth and renewal, and in a small community like ours, this is even more meaningful.
Last week, we celebrated a bris for baby Yerachmeal Yeshaya, named after his great uncle and the prophet Isaiah. It was especially fitting that the bris took place now, as both last week’s and this week’s Torah portions discuss the mitzvah of bris milah.
In last week’s portion, we read about Abraham, who, at ninety-nine years old, entered the covenant with G‑d through circumcision. G‑d changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah, promising that they will have a son named Isaac. From Isaac, G‑d promises to establish a great nation and forge a special bond. Abraham immediately fulfills G‑d’s commandment, circumcising himself and all the males of his household.
This week, we read how G‑d remembers His promise to Sarah, granting her and Abraham a son, Isaac, born when Abraham is one hundred and Sarah is ninety. Isaac is circumcised at the age of eight days, entering the covenant as Abraham had.
Since then, this mitzvah has been one of the most cherished observances among the Jewish people. Through good times and bad, our ancestors have done all they could to welcome their sons into the Jewish community with the bris. As we say in the prayers during the bris ceremony: “Let us give thanks to the L‑rd for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting. May this little infant grow to greatness. Just as he has entered the Covenant, so may he grow up to enter into a life of Torah, marriage, and good deeds.”