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Torah Message:

Idle Worship

“Let’s make man…” (1:26)

Our Sages teach, “Anyone haughty is like one who worships idols.” (Sotah 4)

Ostensibly it’s difficult to see the connection between pride and idol worship, but with Rashi’s commentary in this week’s Parsha we can offer an answer:

The Torah says, “Let’s make man…”

From this verse, it sounds as though G-d had help when He created man, which is an absurd idea. Rashi addresses the problem: “Although (the angels) did not assist G-d in man’s creation, and there is room for the heretics to claim that the Torah itself indicates that many gods participated in the creation of man, the verse did not refrain for teaching us proper conduct — to act with the trait of humility. The greater should consult and take permission from the lesser.”

By his behavior, a haughty person implies that he doesn’t believe that G-d used the word “We” to teach us this importance of humility, that the greater should ask the lesser. Therefore, a haughty person will understand the word na’aseh“Let’s make,” — according to its more “obvious” meaning, that there exist multiple independent powers (G-d forbid!).

And the result of this trait of haughtiness is tantamount to idol worship.

  • Sources: Parshat Derachim in Mayana shel Torah