Tosafot (Rosh Hashanah 11a, sv “ela d’ko’i b’chag…”) note that “b’etzem hayom hazeh – on that very day” means exactly that. Such was Abraham’s zeal in his effort to perform G-d’s command that he did so post-haste – on the very day that G-d commanded him to.
The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 47:11) cites a different interpretation, that of R. Brechya, who cites Isaiah 48:16: “Kirvu eilay shim’u zot, lo mei’rosh baseter dibarti mei’eit he’yotah shom ani, v’atah Hashem Elokim she’lachani v’rucho – Approach me, hear this: I did not speak in secrecy at first, from the time [the decree] was issued I was there. And now, My L-rd, Elokim, has sent me with His spirit.” While the verse, simply understood, refers to Isaiah’s prophecy regarding the downfall of Sennacherib, R. Brechya derives from the words “lo mei’rosh baseter dibarti – I did not speak in secrecy at first” that G-d said perhaps people will restrain Abraham from performing the circumcision if he does it at night. Therefore, Abraham performed the circumcision “b’etzem hayom hazeh – on that very day,” during daytime for all to plainly see. Abraham zealously fulfilled the command of G-d, fearing no man.
Both Onkelos and Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, in their Aramaic translations, render our passage (Genesis 17:23-27) similarly to how we have done in the above English translation, with one very glaring exception: verse 26. Targum Yonatan ben Uziel renders it as follows: “Bichran yoma hadein b’arba’ah asar shnin gzar Avraham v’Yishmael b’reih – On that very day on the fourteenth year [of Ishmael] were Abraham and Ishmael, his son, circumcised.”
Now this is a rather strange statement coming from the great Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel, a statement that is completely out of line with the Biblical text. It requires explanation.
(To be continued)