What does the prohibition of "Lo Sa'aseh Lecha Fesel" entail?
Rashi, Ramban #1 (on Pasuk 3) 1 and Seforno: It entails refraining from manufacturing images 2 (even without intention to worship them - Seforno). 3
Ramban #2 (to 20:3): It is a continuation of "Lo Yih'yeh." 'Do not accept any deity other than Hashem, and do not make an image in order to serve it, 4 or bow down to or worship it in any way.'
Hadar Zekenim (in Pasuk 3) #1: It is a prohibition against making an image in Hashem's honor - since He cannot be seen. 5
Hadar Zekenim (in Pasuk 3) #2: It is a prohibition against making an image to remember Hashem after He has departed from Yisrael and is no longer visible, since you will not see Me all the time; like the Nochrim make images. 6
A plain Lo Sa'aseh that is not subject to Kareis. Refer to 20:3:2:1 and notes. Oznayim la'Torah - Pasuk 3 (refer to 20:3:2:3) referred to the first stage of Avodah Zarah - where people worshipped the celestial bodies which Hashem designated to rule over the world; whereas this Pasuk is referring to the second stage of idolatry, where people began to worship the images that they themselves manufactured.
Seforno: And the Torah writes "Lo Sishtachaveh Lahem" with reference to the entities in Heaven and on earth mentioned in the Pasuk.
Ramban: Which is punishable by Misah and Kareis. Refer also to 20:3:2:3. The Lav of manufacturing an image per se, we find later in Pasuk 22 of this Perek, in Shemos 34:17, and in Vayikra 26:1.
Hadar Zekenim (ibid.): In Parshas Va'eschanan, the Torah gives a reason for this - "Ki Lo Re'isem Kol Temunah, etc." (Devarim 4:15). Moreover, the Navi writes ,"v'El Mi Tedameyun Kel" (Yeshayah 40:18).
Hadar Zekenim (ibid.):Because future generations will attach divinity to the image.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Lo Sa'aseh Lecha Fesel "?
Sanhedrin 81a: To incorporate declaring oneself a god in the Lav 1 - and the means means to say 'Do not make yourself an image.'
Sanhedrin (ibid.): Provided he is subsequently worshipped. See Torah Temimah, note 22.
What is the difference between "Pesel" and "Temunah"?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: "Pesel" is a carved image; "Temunah," a picture.
Mechilta: "Pesel" is a carved image - that protrudes; "Temunah," one that does not.
Avodah Zarah 43b: "Pesel" is an image that protrudes; 'Temunah,' one that is sunken.
Why does the Torah need to forbid the manufacture of an Avodah Zarah? Why might we otherwise have thought that it is permitted?
R. Bachye: We would have thought that, just as the Torah prescribes many Mizvos to remind us of the miracles that Hashem wrought ? such as Succah Pesach and Matah ? so too, is it a good thing to manufacture an mage of something that Hashem created to do good to the world ? to remind us of Hashem?s Goodness. 1
R. Bachye: And the reason the Torah forbids it is because one will come to prostrate oneself before it and ultimately to worship it ? as the Pasuk indicates in the opening Pasuk in Tehilim ? ?Ashrei ha?Ish asher Lo Halach ba?Atzas Resha?im, u?ve?Derech Chata?im Lo Amad u?ve?Moshav Leitzim lo Yashav?. See R. Bachye.
Having forbidden the manufacture of images, on what grounds were the Keruvim on the Aron permitted?
R. Bachye: Based on the principle ?ha?Peh she?Asar Hu ha?Peh she?Hitir? ? The One who forbade the one permitted the other.
Perhaps it is because nobody ever saw the Keruvim ? even when the Kohen Gadol wentered the Kodesh Kodshim on Yom Kipur, he entered with a cloud of smoke that filled the Kodshim Kodshim ? in whiach case the fear that one may come to prostrate oneself before them is not applicable.
What are the connotations of ?Temunas Kol??
Ramban and R. Bachye: ?Any picture?. 1
R. Bachye: ?A picture of the Midah ?Kol?. 2
Ramban and R. Bachye: Like ?Lo Sa?aseh Kol Melachah? in Pasuk 10
See R. Bachye in Bereishis 24:1.
What is the significance of the various objects of idolatry to which the Pasuk refers?
Ramban: After forbidding the worship of the ?Sarim? (the seventy angels that serve as guardian angels of the seventh nation - in the previous Pasuk), 1 which the Torah calls "Elohim Acherim,"the Torah goes on to forbid the worship of demons 2 (?Pesel ve?Chol Temunah?) 3 the celestial bodies (?asher ba?Shamayim?), and the angels 4 (?mi?Ma?al?) with reference to the three types of idolatry that the people adopted through the ages. 5
R. Bachye #1: ? ? asher ba?Shamayim mi?Ma?al? refers to the angels ? incorporating the Ofanim, the Serafim and the Chayos ha?Kodesh; ?va?asher ba?Aretz mi?Tachas?, to man, animals, Chayos and Beheimos, ?va?asher ba?Mayim mi?Tachas la?Aretz?, 6 to the demons.
R. Bachye #2 (citing the Mechilta and the Pesikta Zutr?sa): With reference to 20:4:1.5:1 ? ?asher ba?Shamayim? incorporates the sun, the moon, the stars and the constellations; ?mi?Ma?al? - the Mal?achei ha?Shareis, ?va?asher ba?Aretz? - man, Beheimah Chayah and birds, ?mi?Tachas? - Shekatzim and Remasim (vermin), ?asher ba?Mayim? - fish in the sea and ?mi?Tachas la?Aretz? incorporates demons 7 ? as well as ?Buvya? (the reflection of oneself n the water). 8
Hadar Zekenim: It is a prohibition against making an image of angels that are above the Heaven, or of animals, birds, fish, the sun, moon or stars that are seen on the earth, or what is in the depth of water below the earth.
Avodah Zarah 43b: "Asher ba'Shamayim mi'Ma'al" refers to the sun, the moon, the stars and the Mazalaos (the constellations) and "mi'Ma'al," to the angels; "Asher ba'Aretz" refers to the seas, the rivers, the mountains and the hills; "mi'Tachas" to the little worms (which grow under the ground), and "va'Asher ba'Mayim mi'Tachas la'Aretz" refers to a 'Buvya' - a reflection (according to R. Akiva) or to a 'Shavriri' 9 (a water-demon or a tiny creature that lives in the water). 10
Incorporating man, who is sometimes given jurisdiction over nations ? such as Par?oh, Nevuchadnetzar and Chiram Melech Tzor ? See Ramban.
Ramban: Which are devoid of divine character, as the Torah specifically writes in Devarim 32:17. See Ramban and R. Bachye.
See Ramban.
See Ramban, who elaborates at great length on this issue.
R. Bachye: This teaches us that the earth rests on the water ? as the Pasuk writes in Tehili 136:6 ?le?Roka ha?Aretz al ha?Mayim?.
R. Bachye: If the demons that dwell in the depths of the sea would be allowed to emerge and live among us, they would destroy the world. There also demons who live in the sky who cause peple to dream and deons who live on earth who cause them to sin.
See Torah Temimah, notes 27 & 28.
Avodah Zarah (ibid.): Leaving not the slightest excuse to sin.,
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'V'Chol Temunah [Asher ba'Shamayim]' - (I.e.), the image of any thing that is in the heavens." What explanation is Rashi adding?
Gur Aryeh: It would be impossible to make the same image that is in the heavens (e.g. an actual sun or moon); rather the prohibition is to make the semblance of some thing that is in the heavens - its likeness. 1
Mizrachi explains this to mean, making the images that are formed by the stars and constellations. (But Gur Aryeh does not accept this explanation).
