Bris Mila is another step in Avrohom’s spiritual climb. It was the first (and only) Mitzva that he did that actually elevated the physical.

Yishmael’s Bris was rational and that is a liability compared with Yitzchok’s super-rational bond. It is the basis of the Jewish people and that they are a miraculous people attached to Hashem higher than reason, from infancy.

Whatever happened to Avrohom until Lech Lecha (at the age of seventy five) is not written in the Torah, because as the first Jew, his life doesn’t begin until he gets divine instruction and follows with bittul. The lesson for us we must acquiesce.

What we learn from the Avos that relates to us though our Yiddishkiet is so different. How we make Yiddishkiet as personal and felt by us.

All in one class. Likutei Sichos vol. 20 page 13 ff. The Rebbe explains that the RaMbaM considers it important to underscore the idea that Avrohom’s pursuit of God started out initially as a strictly intellectual one. However, he then explains that intellect in and of itself it is not sustainable, as is evidenced from…