Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods besides Me"
The first Positive Mitzvah, teaches that we must believe in HaShem.
However, it would still be possible for someone to believe in HaShem and also
believe that there are other gods in the world.
Let us take the case of the President of the United States.
He is a competent individual, who has been entrusted with leading the
American people. Nonetheless, there are other men who are suited for his job and
capable of being President.
The same is true for all human leaders.
Every person has his or her own capabilities and weaknesses.
All leaders, whether they are presidents, prime ministers, or even kings, can
be replaced by other people who are just as capable as they are.
However, there is nothing that can be compared with HaShem.
He is the one and only Creator; the one and only Master of the Universe. No
other person, power or object is like HaShem.
This Negative Mitzvah cautions us not to believe that anything or anyone has
the power of G-d, except for HaShem.
Introduction to the Mitzvot Prohibiting Idol Worship.
The Torah warns us that we must not believe in idols nor are we allowed to
worship them in any way.
Many Mitzvot tell us how we must try to wipe out idol-worship. However, we
must first try to understand exactly what is meant by "idol-worship."
What does it mean to worship idols? What kinds of idol-worship are there?
In ancient times, people worshiped idols, thinking that these idols were
gods. They believed that idols could rule their lives and that idols had the
ability to grant their every wish.
Much of modern society does not worship idols in the same way as people did
in the past.
We do not believe that statues carved out of wood, stone or gold have any
power over our lives, nor do we believe that idols can effect our lives and
health.
However, idols do not necessarily have to be statues.
A person can make an idol out of almost anything.
In our own time, many people have placed a tremendous amount of importance on
money, power and beauty.
When taken to extremes these, too, can become a form of idol- worship.
Take, for example, the following story of what happened to Yossi:
One day, Yossi, saw a new ten-speed bicycle in the store window.
He really liked the bicycle and wanted to buy it.
All day, at home and at school, he could think of nothing else except for
ways to earn money in order to buy the bicycle.
Yossi walked around in a daze, dreaming about the bicycle.
"If I only had it, I wouldn't want anything else!", he thought to
himself. "I've just got to get it, I won't ever be happy without it!"
Every day he would go to the store and stare at the bicycle. He was enchanted
by it and everything he did was centered on "got-to-get-that-bike."
His desire to buy that new bicycle controlled his thoughts! Yossi didn't
realize it, but he had made an "idol" out of the bicycle!
HaShem created this world and everything that is in it for us, so that we
could use it in service of Him.
Many Mitzvot deal with money, possessions and other values. They teach us how
to apply and use them so that we may fulfill the will of HaShem.
There is no doubt that we must appreciate the usefulness of money, beauty and
everything else that exists within our world.
Yet, we must never "worship" them, nor should we allow any one
thing to become so important that it rules our life.
We must always remember that only the law of HaShem, the Torah, may govern
our lives.
The Mitzvot which follow, define those acts which are considered idol-worship
and are therefore forbidden to us.
As we study these Mitzvot we should try to apply their lesson to our
"modern day idol-worship," as well.
LOGIN
ASK THE RABBI
