What is the meaning of the (otherwise superfluous) word "Vayeilech Vaya'avod Elohim Acherim"?
Which Avodos are subject to the death penalty?
Refer to Sh'mos, 17:10:2:1*.
Having writen "Vaya'avod Elohim Acherim", why does the Torah need to add "Vayishtachu lahem?
Sanhedrin, 60b: To teach us that prostrating oneself before an Avodah Zarah is subject to Sekilah 1 just like worshipping it.
Why does the Torah list the sun, the moon and stars independently - after "Elohim Acherim"?
Seforno: Because, as opposed to "Elohim Acherim", which refers to the spiritual angels, they are physical beings.
What is the meaning of "Asher Lo Tzivisi"?
Rashi, R. Bachye #1 and Rashbam: It means 'Which I did not command you to worship'. 1
R. Bachye #2: It is as if the Torah had written 'asher Tzivisi be'Lo' 2 - that Hashem commanded us with a Lo Sa'aseh 3 not to worship
R. Bachye #3 (according to Kabalah): Even though Hashem commanded Yisrael to bring the Korban Tamid - one lamb in the morning corresponding to Midas Yom - the sun, and one in the afternoon corresponding to Midas Laylah - the moon, He did not command them to worship the sun and moon themselves. 4
Seforno: It means that they are purely physical and Hashem did not grant them the ability 5 to act of their own accord. 6 .
R. Bachye #1: And we might otherwise have thought that it is comparable to someone who pays homage to the servant of the king, which is akin to paying homage to the king himself - as the early generations believed. See Oznayim la'Torah.
R. Bachye: Like Shicheis lo Lo" - ?Shicheis le'Atzmo be'Lo'- in Ha'azinu 32:5.
The La'av of "Lo Sishtachaveh lahem!" (Sh'mos 20:5).
See R. Bachye.
Seforno: Only to follow their prescribed assignments.
Seforno: As opposed to the idolaters, who believe that every town has its god who has the power to do good or bad, and does good to those who serve him.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes 'which I did not command you to worship.' Is it not obvious that Hashem did not command us to serve Avodah-Zarah?
Rabeinu Bachye #1: We might otherwise have thought that it is comparable to someone who pays homage to the servant of the king, which is akin to paying homage to the king himself. 1
Rabeinu Bachye #2 (according to Kabalah): Although Hashem commanded us to bring the Korban Tamid "One lamb in the morning and a second lamb in the afternoon" 2 corresponding to the Midas ha'Yom and the Midas ha'Laylah, respectively, He did not command us to worship the sun and the moon.
