Shabbat Nugget: Still Not Retired At the Age of 99?!

In this week’s Torah portion, we read how G-d comes to pay Avraham a wellness visit after his circumcision at the age of 99.

When Rabbi Sholom Dov Ber of Lubavitch was a child of 5 years old, he went to his grandfather called the Tzemach Tzedek, crying with the complaint, “Why did G-d reveal himself to Abraham and not to us?  His grandfather responded, “If a Jew decides to circumcise himself at the age of 99 he is worthy of a divine revelation.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the spiritual idea of circumcision is that a person must always remove the barriers that separate him from G-d.

What was so significant about Abraham’s circumcision was not that he followed G-d’s command, since Abraham had done difficult things for G-d in the past.  Rather it was the feeling that Abraham had that even at the age of 99 with his many great spiritual achievements, he still had a need to grow and reach new spiritual heights.

This lesson is especially pertinent as we begin a new Jewish year with new potential.

May we all experience new accomplishments in this new year including the coming of Moshiach speedily!