But Would You Say It To My Face ?

In the second of the Aseres HaDibros Hashem instructs us to " ... not have any foreign Gods before Him" [Shemos 20:3]

Simply put - you should not consider any foreign deity to be more worthy of worship than G-d.

While the simple meaning holds, the Ramban gleans from this particular phraseology an additional insight. We should never worship, or even consider another diety because - after all - we are in the constant presence of Hashem !

To make a mismatched comparison when all you have to compare is the memory of one item versus the other in the flesh ( pun intended ) - is excusable, maybe. But to botch up the choice between a living G-d and useless fake gods when the living one is right before you ?!?!

Unthinkable.

Hashem is not only prohibiting certain practices - He is also giving us the tools to see such false practices for what they are.

This is perhaps best expressed in the dictum "שיוויתי ד' לנגדי תמיד" "I have placed G-d before me always". When we realize that we are constantly in His presence - it's not an intimidating "big brother" thing. It's more of a constant reminder that we have the real thing.

Like a child who is toddeling will constantly look back at the parent - just to make sure that they are still watching.

Hatzlacha !