Exodus 20:3-5 - Prohibition Against Idolatry

Exodus 20:3-5

1) You shall not have 2) the gods of others 3) in My presence.

You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth.

You shall neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a zealous God, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me..

לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֣ה־לְךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֜ים עַל־פָּנַ֗י

לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ פֶ֣סֶל | וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם | מִמַּ֡עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁר֩ בָּאָ֨רֶץ מִתַּ֜חַת וַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם | מִתַּ֣חַת לָאָ֗רֶץ

הלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֣ה לָהֶם֘ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְ-הֹוָ֤ה אֱ-לֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵ֠ד עֲוֹ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֽׂנְאָ֑י

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Rashi

You shall not have: Why was this said? Since it says, “You shall not make for yourself, etc.” I know only that one may not make [graven idols, etc.] How do I know that one may not keep what was already made? Therefore, Scripture states: “You shall not have.” -[Mechilta]

...the gods of others: Heb. אֱלֹהִים אִחֵרִים, which are not gods, but that others have made them for gods over themselves. It is impossible to interpret this passage to mean: gods other than I, since it is a disgrace for Heaven to call them gods along with Him. Alternatively: strange gods, for they are strange to their worshippers. They cry out to them, but they do not answer them, and it appears as if it [the god] were a stranger, who never knew him [the worshipper]. — [from Mechilta]

...in My presence: Heb. עַל-פָּנָּי [This means] as long as I exist [signifying forever. God states this so] that you should not say that only that generation was commanded [prohibited] concerning idolatry. — [from Mechilta]

Ramban

You shall not have the gods of others in My presence: Rashi wrote, "Why was this said? Since it says, “You shall not make for yourself, etc." I know only that one may not make [graven idols, etc.] How do I know that one may not keep what was already made? Therefore, Scripture states: "You shall not have."

This Beraisa is indeed taught in the Mechilta. If so, this prohibition only means that a person is not allowed to have idols in his presence, for which he is not liable for the death penalty (because he did not actually make the idols). Therefore why did the Torah precede with the passive prohibition against having idols instead of the prohibition against bowing and worshiping them, which requires spiritual excision and the death penalty (i.e, the latter is more severe than the former. It would have made sense for the Torah to state the more severe sin before the lesser severe sin.)?

According to my understanding, this is not the intended halacha of this Beraisa, because it (20:3) is speaking about an individual's injunction, as is taught in Sifra (the beginning of Kedoshim), "...nor shall you make molten deities for yourselves," (Leviticus 19:4) implying that they can be made for him by others, and therefore the verse says, "nor... for yourselves" (to also prohibit you from having them made for you by others).

However, the verse says only "nor... for yourselves," which implies that you can make them for others, therefore the Torah uses the words "you (shall not make (plural)," to include both for yourselves or for others.

This is the basis of the principle that one who makes an idol for himself transgresses two prohibitions: 1) "you shall not make," and 2) "for yourselves." Rabbi Yosei's view is that making an idol transgresses three prohibitions: 1) "you shall not make" (for others) 2) "for yourselves," and 3) "you shall not have" (in your possession idols made by others). Therefore when Rabbi Yosei is among others, he is the one who says that "you shall not have" refers to the prohibition of owning idols, which is not the case according to the first opinion.

And this is also true according to the plain understanding from the wording (of the verse) "and the Lord will be my God..." (Genesis 28:21), and "...to be your God" (Leviticus 11:45). I.e, these are the positive injunctions opposite to the negative injunction discussed so far. That is to say that we shall not have aside from God any other gods from among any of the supernal angels or from among the hosts of the Heaven, which are called elohim (powers, forces). As it is said, "He who slaughters [a sacrifice] to the gods shall be destroyed, except to the Lord alone." (Exodus 22:19) The purpose of this is to prevent him from believing in any of them, to not accept any of them as his god, or to say "you are my god." This comports with the view of Onkelos, "Elah acherah bar mini."