טעמי מצוות מילה: זרמים והשפעות הסטוריות בימי-הביניים

The uniqueness and peculiarity of the commandment of circumcision, being a permanent mark in the flesh of the Jew, makes it an interesting case-study. It occupied many of the Jewish thinkers in the Middle Ages. Generally speaking, there was a rationalistic trend that followed Maimonides, and another that followed Judah Halevi. In the end of the 14th century this commandment received additional import, a fact that is connected with the deterioration of the Jews in Spain and with the newly created problem of the Marranos. The survey of the medieval views ends with Spinoza, against the background of 17th century Amsterdam.