Shabbos 41
“When the Sages of the school of Rav Ashi descended into the river they stood upright. When they emerged from the river they bent over.”
Today’s reading begins with a floating Rabbi: “Rabbi Zeira said: I saw Rabbi Abbahu floating in a bath on Shabbat, and I do not know if he lifted his feet and was actually swimming in the water, or if he did not lift his feet.” We are told that it is obvious that he did not lift his feet because the Rabbi would know that it is not permissible to float in water on the Sabbath. Regardless of how his feet are positioned, I envision a tranquil Rabbi floating in a pool of water with his beard spread out before him taking a quiet moment to himself.
The quiet moment that Rabbi Abbahu had found for himself in the bathhouse is interrupted with gossiping colleagues who appear by his side. In order to protect his modesty and perhaps out of an abrupt interruption of the tranquility that he found for himself, he covers his genitals with his hands. Not only is his quiet moment interrupted, but he is now the subject of gossip because he has allegedly violated the covenant of circumcision in some way (to proudly display one’s Jewishness.)
A compromise solution is offered: it is permissible to cover oneself out of a concern for modesty if people are present, but if one is alone before God, then he should be proud and stand tall and not cover himself. We are told that various Rabbis work through their own solutions. Rava would bend over when he is naked while Rabbi Zeira would stand upright.
What a challenging existence it must have been for the Rabbis and their disciples back then when one could not even take a moment for himself to bathe in peace without lots of spies running around making sure everyone followed the many religious laws to the letter. Even a senior Rabbi appears to have not been exempt from taking a quiet moment to himself.
Here is an article from My Jewish Learning on the history of the covenant of circumcision:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/a-history-of-brit-milah/