‘From my flesh I behold God.’ Circumcision and deconstruction: traces of Jacques Derrida

Abstract

One of the most remarkable ventures of the French philosopher Jacques Derrida is his unique exploration of the ‘covenant of circumcision’, which transforms the religious commandment and ceremony into a philosophical concept. Beyond the philosophical aspect of Derrida’s treatment of circumcision in his writings, his interest also conveys a particularly thought-provoking biographical element. Derrida addresses the rite of circumcision from his innermost self, rendering his engagement with the subject a combination of analysis, confession and reading. In this article I read Derrida’s interpretive endeavour, deconstruction, as a literary implementation of the concept of circumcision – not only the deconstructive interpretation he has given for circumcision, but his ‘circumcision’ of the word circumcision . I propose the viewing of deconstruction as the spiritual and ethical equivalent of circumcision.