5784/2024

A Charged Pasuk!

Devarim 4:19 is an utterly shocking Pasuk! Hashem warns us to spurn Avoda Zara but seems to sanction non-Jewish worship of foreign gods! Hashem is concerned lest we cast our eyes to the sun, moon, and stars and serve them, which He reserved for the world's nations. The Pasuk implies that Hashem designated these heavenly bodies for Nochrim to worship!

This Pasuk is so problematic that when King Ptolemy coerced us to translate the Chumash to Greek, the seventy Torah sages (under Hashem’s influence) added the words “for illumination” at the end of the Pasuk to clarify that these luminaries are not to be worshipped (Megillah 9b).  

Jews, though, seek the authentic meaning of the Pasuk. We present three Peshat approaches and address the Derash approach, which seems highly problematic.  

Peshat Approach #1 – Rashi and Rashbam

Rashi and Rashbam first explain that the seventy sages accurately explained the Pasuk.  

Peshat Approach #2 – Ramban and Ibn Ezra

Ramban and Ibn Ezra explain that while a Malach designated by Hashem governs other nations, Hashem directly governs us. The sun, moon, and stars mentioned in the Pasuk refer to the Malachim, which oversee the Nochri peoples.  

Peshat Approach #3 – Rav Hirsch

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch explains that the Pasuk refers to Breishit 1:28, which mandates humanity to master and develop the world. Rav Hirsch explains Devarim 4:19 to mean that Hashem has designated these heavenly bodies for humankind “to use by their intelligent application the physical powers of the sun, moon, and heavenly bodies to further their individual and national lives.”

A Shocking Derash Approach – Rashi and Rashbam

Rashi then quotes a very surprising Midrashic approach (Avoda Zara 55a) which the Rashbam atypically embraces as the “Ikar HaPeshat” (the primary Peshat opinion).” The following translation of the Rashi is from www.sefaria.org

Another explanation: which God assigned to them as deities; He did not prevent them from going astray after them, but He allowed them to err (to slip) through vain speculations, in order to drive them out from the world. Similarly it states, (Psalms 36:3) "He (God) made him err (slip) through his eyes (i.e., through what his eyes behold) until his iniquity be found and he be hated.” 

Chazal/Rashi’s approach is astonishing. Does Hashem mislead humanity? Does the judge of the entire land not do justice (Breishit 18:25). How could Hashem, whom we thrice daily describe as a Tzadik (Tehilim 145:17), deliberately mislead humanity?

Explaining Chazal/Rashi

We believe that Chazal/Rashi mean that Hashem somewhat obscures His existence, leaving room for people to go astray.   Kohelet (7:14) states that “God created the one as well as the other (zeh le’umat zeh asah Elokim),” i.e., God creates a level playing field. This Pasuk means that when God’s presence is quite apparent, He makes a spiritual counterpart so that we can choose to believe in Him.  If we have no choice but to believe, then we cannot have a relationship with Hashem since a relationship involves selection.  

Hashem does not mislead the world's nations; rather, he presents a choice as to whether to follow him or go spiritually awry.  

Avoda Zara 4:7

The following two sources express this idea. The Mishna in Avodah Zara (4:7; translation from the William Davidson edition of the Talmud) states: 

The gentiles asked the Jewish Sages in Rome: If it is not God’s will that people should engage in idol worship, why does He not eliminate it? The Sages said to them: Were people worshipping only objects for which the world has no need; He would eliminate it. But they worship the sun and the moon and the stars and the constellations. Should He destroy His world because of the fools? The gentiles said to the Sages: If so, let Him destroy those objects of idol worship for which the world has no need and leave those objects for which the world has a need. The Sages said to them: If that were to happen, we would thereby be supporting the worshippers of those objects for which the world has need, as they would say: You should know that these are indeed gods, as they were not eliminated from the world, whereas the others were eliminated.

The real answer to why Hashem does not eliminate Avoda Zara is that He wants humanity to choose whether to connect with Him. Therefore, he does not mislead society but rather does not eliminate the Avoda Zara option. 

Avoda Zara 54b

Hashem grants us free will and does not intervene in how the world proceeds. Unlike a violation of Hashem’s laws of physics, if one violates Hashem’s Torah law, He does not intervene. For example, if a Jew sadly chooses to switch on a light on Shabbat, the light will go on.  The Gemara (Avoda Zara 54b) presents this idea in a Braita that complements this Mishna (translation from Sefaria.org):

Consider the case of one who stole a Se’ah of wheat and went and planted it in the ground. By right, it should not grow. But the world goes along and follows its course (“Olam KeMinhago Holeich”), and the fools who sinned will be held to judgment in the future for their transgressions.

Ramban – Hashem Misleading the Egyptians at the Yam Suf 

The Ramban to Shemot 14:21 articulates a concrete example of Hashem “misleading” people or presenting the option of an incorrect choice. He writes that Hashem made a fierce east wind blow the entire night to allow the Egyptians to think the Yam Suf was split by natural causes (i.e., the fierce eastern wind) and not by Hashem. The Ramban clarifies that the Egyptians had ample opportunity to recognize Hashem’s involvement, such as the fact that the Yam Suf was split into sections (Tehillim 136:13). Unfortunately for the Egyptians, they did not exercise their common sense and recognize Hashem’s presence. 

The Ramban concludes that the Egyptians’ great desire to harm us impaired their judgment and led them to make a terrible choice leading to their premature demise. Hashem did not force them to go wrong. Their overwhelming hatred of us led them to self-destruction (very much like our enemies today).  

Conclusion

Bertrand Russell (a British philosopher and mathematician who was a foremost proponent of atheism in the early twentieth century) once was asked what he would respond if, after he died, he met God, and He would judge him for his lack of belief.  Russell replied that he would ask God, why did You not provide sufficient evidence of Your existence?  Hashem might answer why you didn’t choose to exercise the extraordinary intellect with which I blessed you to see the overwhelming evidence of My existence and My Holy Torah. 

Hashem did not mislead Bertrand Russell and those of his ilk. He did, though, leave the option for them to make bad choices. Sadly, they chose poorly, for which Hashem holds them accountable. Nevertheless, humanity can do much better by making the intelligent choice to embrace Hashem and respect our obligations to Him.