“Lest” (Dt.12:30)— and this also denotes a proscription. “Lest you be enticed to follow them” (Dt.12:30)— perhaps you will be drawn after them, or, perhaps, you will resemble them, emulating their behavior, and they will become a trap for you.
“After He has annihilated them from before you” (Dt.12:30). Why shall I annihilate them from before you? So that you do not emulate their behavior, causing others to come to annihilate you.
“Lest you seek out their gods, saying” (Dt.12:30)— do not say: since they go about in a toga, I, too, will go about in a toga! Since they go about in purple, I, too, will go about in purple! Since they go about in broad pants, I, too, will go about in broad pants! ”And I shall do the same!” (Dt.12:30).
2. “Do not treat HASHEM your God in this way” (Dt.12:31)— this way can refer to the one serving the god, or this way can refer to the object that is served as a god. On this basis, they taught: Regarding an item normally offered on the Altar— if they offer it in service of a foreign cult, [the officiant] is held liable [for serving a foreign cult]. Regarding an item normally offered in a foreign cult— if they offer it on the Altar, [the officiant] is exempt from liability. Regarding an item not normally offered on the Altar, yet they offered it in service of a foreign cult— if a similar item is offered on the Altar, he is held liable. But if not, he is exempt.146F: 146, n.6 ascribes this construction to Mechilta Shimon, p. 105 (ed. Hoffmann). But I cannot find it in ed. Epstein-Melammed or ed. Nelson.
Is it possible to say that they should not offer Purification-offerings or Guilt-offerings [on the Altar, to avoid the appearance of idolatrous service]? The Teaching states: “For they performed for their gods every abomination that HASHEM your God hates” (Dt.12:31)— this refers to offering an item that is both hateful and abominable to the All-Present, [excluding legitimate offerings]. Another word: Their intention was only to offer what the All-Present hates.3. “For also their sons and daughters they immolated in fire to their gods” (Dt.12:31)— I might infer only that they offered up their children. How do I know to include their fathers and mothers? The Teaching states: “Also their sons”— meaning not just their sons. “Also their daughters”— meaning not just their daughters. Said R. Akiva: I saw a certain gentile who tied up his father before his dog. And the dog ate him!
(דברים יב ל) הִשָּׁמֶר – בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. פֶּן – בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
Pisqa’ 81145H:135; JN1:227.
1. “Take care” (Dt.12:30)—
this phrase denotes a proscription.
פֶּן תִּנָּקֵשׁ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, שֶׁמָּא תִּמָּשֵׁךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא תִּדְמֶה לָהֶם, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ.
“Lest” (Dt.12:30)—
and this also denotes a proscription.
“Lest you be enticed to follow them” (Dt.12:30)—
perhaps you will be drawn after them,
or, perhaps, you will resemble them,
emulating their behavior,
and they will become a trap for you.
אַחֲרֵי הִשָּׁמְדָם מִפָּנֶיךָ, מִפְּנֵי מָה אֲנִי מַשְׁמִידָם מִפָּנֶיךָ? שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְיָבוֹאוּ אֲחֵרִים וְיַשְׁמִידוּ פָּנֶיךָ!
“After He has annihilated them from before you” (Dt.12:30).
Why shall I annihilate them from before you?
So that you do not emulate their behavior,
causing others to come to annihilate you.
פֶן תִּדְרֹשׁ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר: הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּטָגָא – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּטָגָא, הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּאַרְגָּמָן – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּאַרְגָּמָן, הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּתוֹלְסִין – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּתוֹלְסִין, וְאֶעֱשֶׂה כֵּן גַּם אָנִי.
“Lest you seek out their gods, saying” (Dt.12:30)—
do not say:
since they go about in a toga,
I, too, will go about in a toga! Since they go about in purple,
I, too, will go about in purple!
Since they go about in broad pants,
I, too, will go about in broad pants!
”And I shall do the same!” (Dt.12:30).
(דברים יב לא) לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, יֵשׁ כֵּן לָעֲבֹדָה וְיֵשׁ כֵּן לַמִּתְעַבֵּד. מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: בְּדָבָר שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אִם מַקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – חַיָּב. דָּבָר שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אִם הִקְרִיבוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ – פָּטוּר. דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין מַקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְהִקְרִיבוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אִם מַקְרִיבִים כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ – חַיָּב, וְאִם לָאו – פָּטוּר.
2. “Do not treat HASHEM your God in this way” (Dt.12:31)—
this way can refer to
the one serving the god,
or this way can refer to
the object that is served as a god.
On this basis, they taught:
Regarding an item normally offered on the Altar—
if they offer it in service of a foreign cult,
[the officiant] is held liable
[for serving a foreign cult].
Regarding an item normally offered in a foreign cult—
if they offer it on the Altar,
[the officiant] is exempt from liability.
Regarding an item not normally offered on the Altar,
yet they offered it in service of a foreign cult—
if a similar item is offered on the Altar,
he is held liable.
But if not, he is exempt.146F: 146, n.6 ascribes this construction to Mechilta Shimon, p. 105 (ed. Hoffmann). But I cannot find it in ed. Epstein-Melammed or ed. Nelson.
יָכוֹל לֹא יְהוּ מַקְרִיבִים חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כִּי כָל תּוֹעֲבַת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵא – דָּבָר הַשָּׂנאוּי וּמְתֹעָב לַמָּקוֹם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֹא נִתְכַּוְּנוּ לְהַקְרִיב אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁהַמָּקוֹם שׂוֹנֵא. כִּי גַם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, אֲבוֹתָם וְאִמּוֹתָם מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בְּנֵיהֶם – גַּם בְּנֵיהֶם, בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם – גַּם בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה: אֲנִי רָאִיתִי גּוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁכְּפָתוֹ לְאָבִיו וְהִנִּיחוֹ לִפְנֵי כַּלְבּוֹ – וַאֲכָלוֹ.
Is it possible to say that
they should not offer Purification-offerings or Guilt-offerings
[on the Altar, to avoid the appearance of idolatrous service]?
The Teaching states:
“For they performed for their gods
every abomination that HASHEM your God hates” (Dt.12:31)—
this refers to offering an item that is both
hateful and abominable to the All-Present,
[excluding legitimate offerings].
Another word:
Their intention was only to offer
what the All-Present hates.3. “For also their sons and daughters
they immolated in fire to their gods” (Dt.12:31)—
I might infer only that
they offered up their children.
How do I know
to include their fathers and mothers?
The Teaching states:
“Also their sons”—
meaning not just their sons.
“Also their daughters”—
meaning not just their daughters.
Said R. Akiva:
I saw a certain gentile
who tied up his father before his dog.
And the dog ate him!