And the IDF will never win, but they finally achieve equality
The few among us who study Tanach at all, let alone take it to heart, may find it baffling that anyone could have served idolatry. How could they be so stupid? How could they ever have believed in such nonsense? How could they keep going back for more when they had real prophets, witnessed miracles, and learned the hard way over and over again?
The modern reader, who engages Tanach as an academic subject, is not baffled. His ancestors served idolatry because they were primitive and unenlightened; after all, they did not get a university degree and keep a small computer within arm's reach at all times.
Of course, the modern reader has the same superiority complex about those who truly believe in G–D, whose decisions in life are markedly different from those of atheists because G–D is real to them. When it comes to practical decisions, the frum kofer is indistinguishable from an atheist; hishtadlus is his excuse for behaving exactly as an atheist would, and bitachon never influences his life in any practical way.
The modern reader also believes that if Chazal were here it would be them coming to him to learn and be set straight about all the things they are wrong about, not the reverse. At the very minimum, it would be a fair exchange, not the modern reader sitting mutely and in awe as Chazal enlighten them, period.
We should not devote serious time and attention to such people. We can teach the living, but we cannot bring back the dead.
Hence, those of us who understand that our ancestors included the most brilliant of people, who possessed tremendous wisdom and reached spiritual heights we cannot fathom, must contend with the fact that idolatry was rampant among them and throughout the world for thousands of years.
We have no right to assume that if we lived back then we would have been any better. No less than Rav Ashi himself, one of the editors of the Talmud Bavli, was put in his place by Menashe in a dream after making a disrespectful remark about kings such as him who served idolatry. Rav Ashi then asked Menashe, “Since you were so wise, why did you serve idolatry?”
Menashe replied: “If you were there, you would have lifted the edge of your coat and run after me.” (See Sanhedrin 102b.)
Fine, you will say. Our ancestors faced a tremendous yetzer hara that we cannot fathom, but fortunately we don't face this challenge. The Anshei Knesses Hagedolah slaughtered the yetzer hara for avoda zara (Yoma 69b), so whatever happened happened. We have plenty of issues to deal with today, but avoda zara is thankfully not one of them.
Of course, this begs the following question: why are the books of Navi overwhelmingly devoted to the issue of idolatry? Granted, we need to know about the sins of our ancestors and how we got here, but there is no need for us to be beaten over the head with prophecy after prophecy about avoda zara if such behavior has long been obliterated from our midst.
There can only be one answer: it hasn't. Not even close.
The prophecies are no less relevant today than they were when they were first spoken. That's why they were recorded for us to study and take to heart.
Many prophets stood for Israel, double the number of those who left Egypt [many millions]. However, a prophecy that was needed for the generations was written, and that which was not needed was not written (Megilla 14a).
So if we have prophecy after prophecy filled with lessons and warnings about idolatry, and so many mitzvos steering us away from idolatry, it must be that the danger remains very real and prevalent in our midst, only in different forms. We are no less susceptible to idolatrous thinking and behavior than our ancestors – only more so, because we fail how real this is, how prevalent, and how pernicious.
The Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim writes at length about ancient idolatry, describing not only what the people did, but how they were ensnared by the most senseless, degenerate cults. Below is an excerpt from Section 3, Chapter 37, which is especially informative for us.
The reader may not be surprised to learn that the same tactics used to ensnare people back then remain in use and effective today. What might come as a surprise is that vestiges of actual idolatrous practices from ancient times remain among us.
It behooves us to contemplate this with the utmost seriousness. I will allow the Rambam's imperative words to conclude part one. In part two I will elaborate on some of the ways they apply in our times.
From Guide of the Perplexed of Maimonides, Friedlander, Hebrew Publishing Company, pages 176-178, with minor modifications for clarity and boldface for emphasis:
It is easily understood why it is prohibited to derive any benefit from an idol. For sometimes a person buys it with the intention to break it, but keeps it, and it becomes a snare to him. Even if he broke it, recast it, and sold it to a heathen, he must not use the money which he received in exchange for the idol; because people frequently mistake accidental circumstances for essential causes; thus most people say of a certain person that he has become rich and wealthy after having dwelt in a certain house, or bought a certain animal or vessel; and that these things were a blessing to him.
In the same way, a person may be successful and make a good profit on the business in which he employed the money received for the idol; he might then think that the idol was the cause of his success, and that the blessing of the money received for it brought him the profit; he would then believe in the idol; a belief which is just the reverse of the chief object of the Law, as is clearly seen in every word of it. For this same reason, we are forbidden to turn to our use the covering of the idol, its offerings and vessels. We are thus guarded against the idea [of ascribing our success to idols].
In those days the belief in the stars was very strong; it was generally assumed that life and death, good and evil, depended on the stars. The Law employed therefore strong means, as covenant, witnesses, great oaths, and the above-mentioned [blessings and] curses, in order to overthrow that belief. We are thus commanded to abstain from taking any portion of the idol, and deriving any benefit from it; and G–D tells us that if money received for idols be mixed with any person's property, it will bring loss and ruin to that property.
This warning is contained in the words: “Neither shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be a cursed thing like it” (Devarim 7:26). How much more wrong must it be to believe that there is a blessing in idols. When you examine all the precepts that relate to idolatry, you will find that their reason is obvious, and that they are to make us abandon this evil belief, and to keep at the greatest possible distance from them.
We must also point out that originators of false, baseless, and useless principles scheme and plan for the firm establishment of their faith; and tell their fellow-men that a certain plague will befall those who will not perform the act by which their faith is supported and confirmed for ever; this plague may one day accidentally befall a person, who will then direct his attention to the performance of that act, and adopt idolatry.
It being well known that people are naturally most in fear and dread of the loss of their property and their children, the worshippers of fire spread the tale, that if any one did not pass his son and daughter through the fire, he will lose his children by death. There is no doubt that on account of this absurd menace everyone at once obeyed, out of pity and sympathy for the child; especially as it was a trifling and a light thing that was demanded, in passing the child over the fire.
[Translator's footnote: According to this explanation, the children were not burnt, but only passed quickly through the fire in honour of Moloch. See Mishneh Torah Hilchot Avodah Zarah 6:3. Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and other commentators give the same explanation. But there is no doubt that in some cases of idolatry, children were actually burnt (Devarim 12:31). Compare Yalkut Shimoni 273 on Yirmiyahu 7:31.]
He must further take into account that the care of young children is intrusted to women, who are generally weak-minded, and ready to believe anything, as is well known. The Law makes, therefore, an earnest stand against this practice, and uses in reference to it stronger terms than in any other kind of idolatry; namely, “he defiles My sanctuary, and profanes My holy name” (Vayikra 20:3). The true prophet then declares in the name of G–D that the very act which is for the purpose of keeping the child alive, will bring death upon him who performs it, and destruction upon his seed. Compare “And I will set My face against that man and against his family,” (and compare Vayikra. 20:5).
Know that traces of this practice have survived even to the present day, because it was widespread in the world. You can see how midwives take a young child wrapped in its swaddling-clothes, and after having placed incense of a disagreeable smell on the fire, swing the child in the smoke over that fire. This is certainly a kind of passing children through the fire, and we must not do it.
Reflect on the evil cunning of the author of this doctrine; how people continued to adhere to this doctrine, and how, in spite of the opposition of the Law during thousands of years, its name is not blotted out, and its traces are still in existence.
From when is this part of the play?
A) 1997
B) 1999
C) 2009
D) 2015
E) 2019
F) 2023
G) 2025
H) Other
I) All of the above
I am not a prophet and I generally don't get into the prediction business, but mark my words: The IDF will never win another war. The Jewish people will eventually win a war against their enemies, but the IDF will not.
Choose wisely who and what you will support, and what you are willing to sacrifice for them.
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