Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 1-3

Hook

What if the first idolaters weren't rejecting God, but sincerely thought they were honoring Him? The Rambam reveals a surprising theological descent.

Context

The Rambam, a master rationalist, often presents the development of Jewish law and belief through a philosophical lens. In Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, he lays out God's absolute oneness. Here, in Hilchot Avodat Kochavim, he traces the historical corruption of that truth.

Text Snapshot

"During the times of Enosh, mankind made a great mistake, and the wise men of that generation gave thoughtless counsel... Their mistake was as follows: They said God created stars and spheres... He placed them on high and treated them with honor... Accordingly, it is fitting to praise and glorify them and to treat them with honor. [They perceived] this to be the will of God... just as a king desires that the servants who stand before him be honored." (Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 1:1)

Close Reading

Structure: A Slippery Slope

The Rambam outlines a step-by-step theological corruption, starting not with malice, but with a misguided premise. It’s a progression from honoring God's creations to serving them, gradually eclipsing the Creator.

Key Term: "Thoughtless Counsel"

The phrase "נבערה עצת חכמי אותו הדור" (thoughtless counsel of the wise men of that generation) is critical. As Steinsaltz notes, "נבערה" means "became foolish." This highlights that the error wasn't ignorance, but a corruption of wisdom, a logical flaw by otherwise intelligent individuals.

Tension: Honor vs. Worship

The central tension lies in the shift from honoring God's magnificent creations (stars and spheres) as His "servants" to serving them as intermediaries or even deities. The initial intent, "just as a king desires that the servants who stand before him be honored," was to express honor to God, yet became the root of avodah zarah.

Two Angles

Rashi (Genesis 4:26, referenced in footnote 6 to 1:1) interprets "It was then that they called profanely upon the name of God," suggesting a more direct, intentional blasphemy. The Rambam, in contrast, offers a nuanced philosophical explanation: idolatry didn't begin as a rejection of God, but as an intellectual error – a misguided attempt to acknowledge God's greatness by venerating His supposed agents.

Practice Implication

This passage urges us to scrutinize our theological assumptions. Even well-intentioned attempts to understand or honor the divine can lead astray if not grounded in God's explicit commands and His absolute oneness. Beware of creating "intermediaries" in your spiritual practice.

Chevruta Mini

1. Is intellectual curiosity about God's creations inherently dangerous, or only when it lacks proper guidance? What are the tradeoffs?
2. How do we ensure that our admiration for natural wonders or human achievements doesn't subtly shift into a form of deification or misdirected worship?

Takeaway

Idolatry, according to the Rambam, often begins as a subtle, intellectual error – honoring God's creations as intermediaries, which tragically obscures the Creator Himself.

https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Foreign_Worship_and_Customs_of_the_Nations_1-3