The question arises – why should it be carried openly? It is
“out of love for the precept” – that is to make clear that fulfilling the laws
of circumcision override the laws of Shabbat.
And the “times of danger” were real – when circumcision was
outlawed as one of the means to destroy the Jewish people (i.e. before the
Maccabean revolt and in the Hadriatic persecution). Even in those times,
circumcision continued – but surreptitiously and at danger.
These acts of defiance are noted and celebrated. For
example, this story is told about someone who was called “Elisha-the-man-of-the-wings”
And why is he called 'the
man-of-the-wings'? Because the wicked State(Rome) once proclaimed a decree
against Israel that whoever donned tefillin should have his brains
pierced through; yet Elisha put them on and went out into the streets. A quaestor
(Roman officer) saw him: he fled before him, and the latter gave pursuit. As he
overtook him, he [Elisha] removed (the tefillin) from his head and held
them in his hand, 'What is that in your hand?' he demanded, 'The wings of a
dove,' was his reply. He stretched out his hand and the wings of a dove were
found therein. Hence he is called 'Elisha-the-man-of-the-wings.'
And why did he tell him the wings
of a dove rather than that of other birds? Because the Congregation of Israel
is likened to a dove, as it is said, as the wings of a dove covered with
silver, and her pinions with yellow gold (Ps. 68:14) just as a dove is
protected by its wings, so with the Israelites, their precepts protect them.
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