Friday, February 05, 2010

In My Face

In the second commandment Hashem instructs us not to have any other gods. It seems this commandment is limited to a particular location - "על פני". While the simple meaning of this condition is not to have other gods in place of Hashem, we can also translate it to mean "in my face".
Hashem is sending us a subtle message. The polytheistic idolatry that was the mainstay of the Egyptian society was very accommodating of other gods. The incompatibility in belief systems lay in the necessary exclusivity. Egypt could accept that Hashem existed - what they couldn't accept was the turf infringement.
And so, Hashem seeks to remind us that it is "perfectly acceptable" to believe in and worship other gods if we do it outside His jurisdiction. But since no such place exists this is actually a reinforcement of a pivotal lesson - the same lesson that the Shulchan Aruch begins with - "שיוויתי ד' לנגדי תמיד " I place Hashem before me always.

Hatzlacha !!

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