“They sacrifice to demons who are not gods...”
(Devarim 32/17)
Rashi explains:
"They are not gods: they are completely powerless.
If they would have some power Hashem's anger would not be so great.”
From this Rashi we can imply that if Bnei Yisrael leave Hashem for an avodah zara that has some value. Hashem is less angry than when they leave Hashem for something that is totally useless.
Zera Shimshon quotes Meforshim who ask that this seemingly contradicts a Medrash .
On the pasuk , "Why are you angry at Your Nation that worshipped the Golden Calf"
the Medrash comments:
" Moshe said, Rebono Shel Olam why are you angry with them?
This calf that they built can help You!
It can make the sun shine in the morning and it can bring the moon out in the night.
You can be in charge of the stars, and it can be in charge of the constellations...
HaKadosh Baruch Hue replied,
"You also erred with this calf, it is completely powerless!
Moshe answered back, "If so, why are you angry at Your Nation?"
From here we see the opposite of what Rashi said; that when Bnei Yisrael defers to an avodah zara that is useless there is no reason for Hashem to be angry!
Zera Shimshon answers that the truth is like Rashi's explanation: Hashem gets very angry when Bnei Yisrael desert Him to serve a totally useless Avodah zara .
Even the Medrash agrees with this.
However, Bnei Yisrael didn't expect the Golden Calf to be god, a replacement of Hashem.
They continued to serve and worship Hashem . They only looked to have a new leader (to replace Moshe ).
Moshe therefore argued that since it was totally useless there is no reason to get angry at them.
“Listen heavens, for I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth.”
(Devarim 32/1)
Rashi asks why did Moshe call the heaven and earth to witness the covenant that Bnei Yisrael entered with Hashem?
He answers that if in future generations Bnei Yisrael will claim that they never accepted the covenant with Hashem ,
then the heaven and earth, which will exist forever, will be able to contradict them and give them their reward if they deserve it or their punishment.
Zera Shimshon points out that at the end of Parshat Nitzavim, Rashi gives two other reasons why Moshe used the heaven and earth for witnesses.
#1 When bad will befall the Jewish people , heaven and earth will be able to give testimony that Moshe warned them.
#2 When we glance at the heaven and earth we can remember not to break the covenant that we have with Hashem .
Hashem said to Israel ,
"Look at the heavens which I created to serve you. Do they ever deviate from their characteristics?
Would the sun not rise from the east?
Look at the earth which I created to serve you, does it ever deviate from its character?
Would it ever produce barley if you planted wheat?
Therefore, if these creations who don't get any reward for what they do, don't deviate from their character,
you who will get rewarded, and be punished if you sin,
surely shouldn't stray from what you must do!"
Zera Shimshon asks, why the change in explanation of why Moshe asked the heaven and earth to be a witness?
He answers that there isn't really any different explanations of why Moshe brought the heaven and earth for witnesses …
There are three different reasons of why Hashem brings three types of calamities and badness on people.
First, punishment for our sins like the ones mentioned in Parshat Ki Sovo that caused us to be expelled from Eretz Yisrael .
The second type of calamity that can happen to a person is a result of a natural disaster. A rasha who is in the vicinity of that disaster gets hurt. However, Hashem will protect a Tzadik who happens to be there.
The third type is a result of a person's mazal (a persons’ predestined fate caused by the constellation under which he was born or the place where he lives).
According to this idea, Zera Shimshon explains,
Rashi mentioned three different reasons for heaven and earth being witnesses because they parallel three types of calamities.
A Parallel to calamities that are punishments like the ones mentioned in Ki Sovo , Hashem made the heaven and earth witnesses that we were warned and therefore we cannot complain why we are being punished.
A Parallel to calamities that are the product of natural disasters, Hashem tells us to look at the heaven and the earth and learn from them that just like they don't deviate from their responsibility, we also shouldn't stray from our responsibility to do the mitzvot of Hashem . If we do stray, then Hashem will also change the normal working of nature and bring calamity.
Finally, a Parallel to calamities that are the product of one's mazal , Hashem made the heaven and earth witnesses that if we don't keep the mitzvot they will punish us through the authority that they received from the mazal in the beginning of their creation.
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