826. A Messenger to Circumcise

There is also the commandment that he must be circumcised, also by a messenger, meaning that the father should circumcise his son. Thus, the question is, Is this commandment to circumcise for the father or for himself? It is like Abraham, who circumcised himself, but Isaac did not circumcise himself, but Abraham circumcised him.

It follows that it is as though his father is also a messenger to circumcise his son. The commandment pertains to his father, who must circumcise his son, but the actual correction of the circumcision is on the son. In other words, if the son circumcises himself if he has no father, it is also on the circumcision because he could have done it through a messenger, meaning through a courthouse.