questions concerning Exodus 4:24-26 (God tries to kill Moses)

[RabbiO]

But even with these technical questions aside, this passage is obviously quite significant to Judaism since this seems to have established the well-known tradition of circumcision. Why is this? From the point of view of a neophyte like myself, it seems quite strange that such a short and obscure passage would have the power to establish such a deeply rooted and engrained tradition that survives even today.

Let's start with the fact that circumcision is commanded back in Genesis 17.