לֹֽא־תִטַּ֥ע לְךָ֛ אֲשֵׁרָ֖ה כָּל־עֵ֑ץ אֵ֗צֶל מִזְבַּ֛ח יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ (ס)
Janganlah engkau menanam bagimu tiang Asyera ataupun pohon apa pun di dekat mezbah Yang Mahakekal, Allahmu, yang akan engkau jadikan bagimu.
Allegorical Interpretation of Genesis
God planting does not justify man in planting a grove by the altar, which is forbidden in Deut. 16:21, for (a) man cannot, like God, plant virtues in the soul; (b) a grove contains some wild trees; (c) what is prohibited is planting “to ourselves” (cf. 2nd Commandment).
Allegorical Interpretation of Genesis
[48] Now the question might be asked, “Why, seeing that to imitate God’s works is a pious act, am I forbidden to plant a grove by the altar, while God plants the pleasaunce?” For it says, “Thou shalt not plant thyself a grove: thou shalt not make to thyself any wood by the side of the altar of the Lord thy God” (Deut. 16:21). What then are we to say? That it becomes God to plant and to build virtues in the soul,