Комментарий к Вайикра 19:4

אל תפנו אל האלילים TURN YE NOT UNTO THE IDOLS — to worship them (Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 10). The word אלילים, idols, is connected with “not“ (אל) — it is regarded of “none" import.

He states, ‘Al tiphnu’ (Turn ye not) unto the idols,³⁰Verse 4. the term tiphnu (turn ye) being of the expressions: and if thy heart ‘yiphneh’ (turn away);³¹Deuteronomy 30:17. whose heart ‘poneh’ (turneth away) this day.³²Ibid., 29:17. The verse [here] is thus stating that one’s heart should not turn away to the idols, to believe that there is some benefit in [worshipping] them, or that the events that they foretell will really transpire; rather, they and all their activities should appear to him as things of nought, and vanity,³³Isaiah 40:17. and future events occur only by decree of the Most High. And so also have our Rabbis said:³⁴Shabbath 149 a. “It is forbidden to look at the statues [of the idols] themselves, because it says, ‘Turn ye not’ unto the idols.” Thus the Rabbis included within this prohibition even looking at the statues, so that one should not allow one’s thoughts to dwell on their matters at all.
He states, nor make to yourselves molten gods,³⁰Verse 4. thus prohibiting them from the very moment that they are made. Admonitions against idolatry are stated in the Torah in many places.
In the Midrash of Vayikra Rabbah the Rabbis mentioned concerning this section [of the Torah the following text]:³⁵Vayikra Rabbah 24:5. “Rabbi Levi says: Because the Ten Commandments are included in this section [therefore it was proclaimed to the full assembly]. I am the Eternal thy G-d,²⁶Exodus 20:2. and here it is written, I am the Eternal your G-d. Thou shalt have no other gods,³⁶Exodus 20:3. and here it is written, nor make to yourselves molten gods.³⁰Verse 4. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Eternal thy G-d in vain,³⁷Ibid., Verse 7. and here it is written, And ye shall not swear by My Name falsely.³⁸Further, Verse 12. Remember the Sabbath day,²⁹Ibid., Verse 8 (Vol. II, pp. 306-311). and here it is written, and ye shall keep My Sabbaths.²⁷Verse 3. Honor thy father and thy mother,²⁸Exodus 20:12. and here it is written, Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father.²⁷Verse 3. Thou shalt not murder,³⁹Exodus 20:13. and here it is written, Neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor.⁴⁰Further, Verse 16. Thou shalt not commit adultery,³⁹Exodus 20:13. and here it is written, Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot.⁴¹Ibid., Verse 29. Thou shalt not steal,³⁹Exodus 20:13. and here it is written, Ye shall not steal.⁴²Ibid., Verse 11. Thou shalt not bear false witness,³⁹Exodus 20:13. and here it is written, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.⁴⁰Further, Verse 16. Thou shalt not covet,⁴³Exodus 20:14. and here it is written, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”⁴⁴Further, Verse 18. For if you love him as yourself you will not covet that which is his, since that which is hateful to yourself, you should not do to others (Etz Yoseiph in the name of Rabbi David Luria). Thus far is the text of the Midrash.

When the Torah now continues with the second of the Ten Commandments by warning us אל תפנו אל אלילים, the Torah elaborates that it is not only forbidden to make oneself such deities in order to worship them, etc., but that it is equally prohibited to display respect for such deities worshipped by other peoples as their gods. Nothing is to be done which would indicate that one invokes the supposed “power” of such deities to further one’s personal interest and concerns.

אל חפנו אל האלילם "Do not turn to the idols, etc. This verse prohibits idolatrous thoughts. One should not turn one's thoughts in that direction. In order to understand this better remember that when a Jew thinks of idolatry it is as if he regresses, i.e. read אחורים, "backwards," instead of אחרים, "others." On the other hand, when a Jew dwells on the subject of the true G'd, it is as if G'd turns His face towards him.

אל תפנו אל האלילים, “Do not turn to the idols!” The injunction here is addressed to the mind rather than to the hands and feet that carry out the desires of the heart and mind. We are commanded to totally discount any supposed influence so-called deities have on anyone’s fate, future, etc. We must remain firmly convinced that our future depends exclusively on decrees made by the Creator in heaven.

To worship them. Meaning, do not turn your thoughts to worshipping them. “To worship them” should not be understood literally, because this is already mentioned, once in the Ten Commandments (Shemos 20:5), and once in parshas Mishpatim (22:19) where it taught that it is forbidden to worship them even in an unusual way [see Rashi ibid]. Furthermore, Rashi writes afterwards, “When you turn to follow them, in the end you will make them gods.” But [according to the literal meaning of Rashi] he already made them gods when he served them? Thus one must say that Rashi means “do not turn your thoughts to worshipping them.” You cannot say [the verse means] do not turn to look at them, because if so it should have written “Do not look.”

ואלוהי מסכה לא תעשו לכם, “do not make for yourselves a molten deity.” What is the meaning of the word: “for yourselves” in this verse, seeing that we have been forbidden to make such images for gentiles? What G–d means here is: “do not make it for others, neither accept what others have made for you as deities.”

אל תפנו אל האלילים, “do not turn unto idols;” the Torah does not refer to worshipping such idols, but it refers to feasting one’s eyes on the architectural extravagance lavished on their temples, and their esthetic appeal, by admiring them. [This author is reminded of what he has seen, unavoidably, in Thailand, for instance. Ed.]

ואלהי מסכה [NOR MAKE TO YOURSELVES] MOLTEN GODS - In the beginning they may appear as “nought" (אלילים) but if you turn unto them you will in the end make them gods (Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 11). The translation therefore is: do not turn unto these “non-entities", so that you may not in the end make them into molten gods for yourselves.

ואלוהי מסכה לא תעשו לכם, “and molten gods you must not make for yourselves.!” The warning here is that culpability for idolatry does not start at the moment one worships idols, but already when one sets out to construct such an idol with the intent to worship it. In Vayikra Rabbah these verses are all explained as being patterned on the Ten Commandments. The Torah continues:

In the end [you will make them gods]. Because if not, why does it initially refer to them as אלילים [which connotes nothingness] and afterwards Scripture calls them gods.

האלילם, the idols. The reason the Torah uses the plural form when speaking of even a single idol is that idolatry represents a belief in a multiplicity of domains in this world, separation of powers. Judaism, however, represents the belief in a single Creator, in a single Supreme Power in this universe. When idols are described as deities, אלוהים, they are automatically described as אלוהים אחרים, other deities, i.e. in the plural.

ואלהי מסכה, “and idols of cast metal (do not construct);” although this commandment has already been written in Exodus 22,27, there it was expressed as addressed to an individual, here it is addressed to the people in the plural mode.

לא תעשו לכם implies: do not you make molten gods for others nor let others make such for you. Should you, however, say that לא תעשו לכם implies only “you shall not make them for yourselves" but others may make them for you, then I reply: But Scripture has already stated (Exodus 20:3) “Thou shalt have [no other gods]” — neither your own idol nor one which is the idol of (made by) others (Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 12).

Nor may others [make them] for you. I.e., we divide the verse. “Do not make” means “for others,” and “for yourselves” means “nor may others [make them] for you.” It is two commandments, one, “do not make” and one, “for yourselves.”

ואלהי מסכה לא תעשו לכם, "neither construct for yourselves molten gods;" seeing that the Torah has already prohibited all kinds of idols why did it single out the molten gods as something we must not construct? Besides, why did the Torah have to stress the word לכם, "for yourselves?" Perhaps we can understand this in connection with chapter 18 in Tikkuney Ha-Zohar where we read that if someone performs a good deed G'd's presence will dwell upon him; if, however, he transgresses one of G'd's commandments the שכינה will depart from the respective organ that should have performed a commandment and that organ will become the home of a spirit of defilement, of טומאה. This spirit of טומאה is the "iron curtain" which is a barrier between such a person and his G'd. Isaiah 59,2 spelled it out when he said: "your iniquities have created a barrier between yourselves and your G'd." When the Torah writes ואלהי מסכה, this means "and a god which forms an iron curtain (from the word מסך, curtain) you must not construct for yourselves." If you do, you would separate yourselves from your source of life. G'd adds the words: "I am the Lord your G'd," to remind you Who it is that you sever your connections with if you violate this commandment.

And if you say [the verse means]: Do not make [them] for yourselves, etc. You might ask: Why does Rashi not ask also, “[And if you say the verse means: Do not make them for yourselves], but you may make them for others.” The answer is: This question would not be answered [by his answer] because “you must not have” only implies that when he or others make [an idol] for him he may not keep it. But “you must not have” does not imply that he may not make for others. You might ask: If so, perhaps one is permitted to make [idols] for other because it only writes “Do not make for yourselves?” The answer is: Because we include from “you must not have” that you may not have what you make or what others make. This indicates that “for yourselves” written in our verse is not connected with “Do not make,” because what others make is also forbidden for you. Thus we have to divide the verse and if so, “Do not make” implies for others [as well]. Maharitz.

The words: "I am the Lord your G'd" may also mean that if we refrain from violating this commandment we qualify for the promise that the Lord is indeed our G'd. Our sages in Chulin 5 phrased this as follows: "Anyone who denies the validity of idolatry is considered as if he had expressed his belief in everything written in the Torah."

A moral-ethical dimension of this verse may teach us the lesson spelled out in Megillah 28 in connection with Kings II 3,14 לולי פני יהושפט אני נשא אם אביט עליך, "if I did not (at the same time) behold the face of Jehoshaphat king of Yehudah I would not even look at your face." Elisha explained to Achav that it is forbidden to even look at a confirmed sinner such as he. G'd warns that we must not make ourselves into a molten image so that it will be prohibited to even look at ourselves.