07-06-2011, 10:18 PM
From "The Divine Code," Vol. 1, 2nd Edition, Part V (The Prohibition of Murder and Injury), ch. 6, p. 444:
5. It is only forbidden to cause harm in any way of disregard to the body. But it is permitted if done in order to heal or enhance the body – such as surgery done to heal a sick person, or even plastic surgery for purposes of beautification. [And we see the widely accepted practice among observant Jews that women may have their ears pierced to accommodate earrings.]
6. A male Gentile may have himself circumcised, and a Gentile parent may have his or her male child circumcised.*
*Footnote: Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:10, says that a Gentile man may take this upon himself. This can also be seen from the statement in Rambam, Laws of Kings 10:8, that the descendants of [Abraham and] Keturah (who are obligated in circumcision) are intermingled with the descendants of Ishmael, and therefore all of their males should be circumcised. From this we see that the prohibition of physically damaging oneself (if there is no obligation or benefit to do so) does not apply in this case. [Also health benefits of male circumcision are well known for many generations, and more health benefits are being discovered in our days.]
This seems to contradict [a classical Torah commentary saying] that Abraham did not circumcise himself until he had an express Divine command to do so, because of the Noahide prohibition of harming oneself – for if so, how could any male Gentile (other than the intermingled descendants of Keturah and Ishmael) be allowed to circumcise himself nowadays? It is possible that the answer is that any male Gentile may [after the time of Abraham] have a circumcision as a universal way of serving G-d [and this is a righteous act for which a righteous Gentile can receive reward from G-d], whereas before this commandment was given to Abraham, it did not constitute a service to G-d.
5. It is only forbidden to cause harm in any way of disregard to the body. But it is permitted if done in order to heal or enhance the body – such as surgery done to heal a sick person, or even plastic surgery for purposes of beautification. [And we see the widely accepted practice among observant Jews that women may have their ears pierced to accommodate earrings.]
6. A male Gentile may have himself circumcised, and a Gentile parent may have his or her male child circumcised.*
*Footnote: Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:10, says that a Gentile man may take this upon himself. This can also be seen from the statement in Rambam, Laws of Kings 10:8, that the descendants of [Abraham and] Keturah (who are obligated in circumcision) are intermingled with the descendants of Ishmael, and therefore all of their males should be circumcised. From this we see that the prohibition of physically damaging oneself (if there is no obligation or benefit to do so) does not apply in this case. [Also health benefits of male circumcision are well known for many generations, and more health benefits are being discovered in our days.]
This seems to contradict [a classical Torah commentary saying] that Abraham did not circumcise himself until he had an express Divine command to do so, because of the Noahide prohibition of harming oneself – for if so, how could any male Gentile (other than the intermingled descendants of Keturah and Ishmael) be allowed to circumcise himself nowadays? It is possible that the answer is that any male Gentile may [after the time of Abraham] have a circumcision as a universal way of serving G-d [and this is a righteous act for which a righteous Gentile can receive reward from G-d], whereas before this commandment was given to Abraham, it did not constitute a service to G-d.