Shabbos, Mishnah 3. The Mishnah continues to discuss what may be done in Shabbos for the sake of the circumcision.
Washing the baby in hot water:
The Mishnah teaches that one may wash the child who has undergone circumcision in hot water, "bein lifnei ha'milah u'vein l'achar ha'milah" - both before the circumcision and after the circumcision. Some explain that the permission is not identical at both stages:
Before the circumcision: One may not heat the water on Shabbos, but rather wash with water that was heated before Shabbos.
After the circumcision: Since from that moment there is already danger, one may even heat the water.
Even at the time of the washing itself, one may not wash the baby in the usual manner, but rather take the water and sprinkle it on him by hand. Sprinkling from a vessel is forbidden, and it must be done specifically from the hand - a change from the ordinary manner of washing.
The opinion of Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah:
Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah permits washing the baby even "ba'yom ha'shelishi she'chal lihyos b'Shabbos" - on the third day that falls out on Shabbos, and he disagrees with the first Tanna on two points:
The manner of washing: The Gemara understands from his words that one may wash without any change, in the usual manner.
The time of the washing: According to the first Tanna the permission applies only on the day of the circumcision, whereas according to him it applies even on the third day.
The reason, as the Mishnah goes on to say: the verse says regarding the people of Shechem who were circumcised, that on the third day they were in pain. It emerges that the third day is a time of danger.
There is a disagreement in understanding his words: some understand that he said "the third day" specifically, as an additional day beyond the first day, and consequently the second day is also included in his permission; while others hold that he means only the first day and the third day.
Cases of doubt for which one does not desecrate Shabbos:
The Mishnah lists two cases in which the circumcision does not override Shabbos because of the doubt:
A doubtful case: A baby who was born and it is not known with certainty whether it was after seven months of pregnancy or after eight. The Sages understood that a child of eight months is not viable, whereas a child of seven months - counterintuitively - is viable. Alternatively, the doubt is between nine months of pregnancy and eight. Either way, a child of eight months is not viable, and one does not desecrate Shabbos for him by performing the circumcision, since he is not considered a viable baby and his circumcision does not override Shabbos.
An androgynous child: The child has both sets of characteristics, and it is not clear whether he is considered male or female. Consequently it is not clear that the obligation of circumcision applies to him at all, and therefore the circumcision does not override Shabbos because of the doubt.
In both of these cases - "safek v'androginos ein mechallelin alav es haShabbos" - a doubtful case and an androgynous child, one does not desecrate Shabbos for him - because it is not clear that there is an obligation of circumcision.
"Rabbi Yehudah matir b'androginos" - Rabbi Yehudah permits performing the circumcision of an androgynous child on Shabbos, for he derived it from the verse, from a superfluous word that indicates that even an androgynous child is obligated in circumcision. Therefore, when the day of the circumcision falls on Shabbos, one desecrates Shabbos for it in order to fulfill the mitzvah of circumcision even for an androgynous child.
In summary: In this Mishnah we learned the laws of washing the baby - in hot water before the circumcision and after it, and by way of sprinkling by hand and not from a vessel; the opinion of Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, who permits washing even on the third day, which is a time of danger; the two cases of doubt - a doubt whether the baby is of seven months or of eight, and an androgynous child - in which the circumcision does not override Shabbos; and the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah, who permits it for an androgynous child.