This week's parsha, Shoftim,
includes one of the many exhortations against idolatry. It specifically
mentions the sun and the moon as well as anything from the multitude of heaven.
The term idolatry in Loshen Hakodesh, עבודה זרה,
(avoda zarah) literally means "strange service", however in
this context "foreign service" may be more appropriate. The
verse specifically "mentions in your midst" meaning in the land of Israel
The Rabeinu Bechai comments on
this verse that Israel
is required to bring offerings every day in the morning and the late afternoon.
He explains that this is a commemoration of G-d's bris with the day and night
that recognizes the good we receive from the light of the sun and the moon.
However the כח, say the force or power behind these
heavenly bodies we are not commanded to serve, meaning that the children of Israel should
not serve them, even though they are servants of the King of the Universe.
Idolatrous service can also take
the form of shows of devotion to elicit supernatural favors. For example if incense
is burnt to the sun and the moon, they will reciprocate by giving good weather
and a bountiful harvest. A variant of this idea is that there is a force, god,
or angel empowering and governing the sun. This angel is considered a servant
of G-d and by honoring the servant we honor the Master of the universe. For the
children of Israel
the appropriate avenue for this is religious assemblies with speeches, poems,
and songs.
Another manifestation of
spiritual service revolves around goals and objectives. This goal is the ultimate
aim of all the person's endeavors. Common ones are money and physical pleasure.
For example when money is an avoda zarah, it means that whatever the person is
doing, he is doing it for money. The sun and moon are often metaphors for being
in harmony with nature. Serving the sun and moon would mean that the objective
of everything that the person does would be peace with the physical world. For
a Jew the bottom line of everything he does should be the greatness and glory
of the Torah.
The Ramban broadens this idea in
expounding the verse, "When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He
separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the
number of the children of Israel ",
(Devarim 32:8). Based on this he says that for every family of man there is a
land, star, and administering angel. Therefore there is an angel of money and
an angel of war, etc. and each one has a king and a people. In addition every
people has a founding father and national heroes.
The Chumash there continues,
"Hashem's portion is His people Ya'akov, the band of His heritage",
(Ibid 9). Based on this so to speak the administering angel of the land and
people Israel
is Hashem and they have no specific star. As a result, "The Jews whom
dwell outside Eretz Yisrael serve idolatry in purity", (Avoda Zara 8a). This
is because his labor serves to build a foreign land, advance foreign values,
and glorify foreign heroes. Sadly it is also becomes competing with the nations
and meddling in their affairs.
An aspect of the bris is one of
national mission. Part of this mission is testifying that the patriarchs have
lineage to Adam the first man and that the father of Adam was G-d. So to speak
the Jewish people are a golden link in the chain starting with the creation of
man and extending to the redemption. When
a Jew joins a foreign culture he subtlety renounces his lineage to the
patriarchs and neglects the idea that G-d is the father of mankind. In addition
he abandons a high calling that is his and accepts a lower one that is not. When
Israel
is in exile there is room to be lenient. However for a Jew to accept a foreign
culture while living in the land
of Israel
To view on YouTube click:
Discussion of guarding the tradition of man's lineage to
Adam the first man and his creation by G-d until the redemption. Kum Ba-chor
Atzel קום בכור עצל sung
at 5:34
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