RABBI SHRAGA SIMMONS (Aish.com)
One of the most difficult topics in the Torah is described in this week's Parsha (13:16): the commandment to destroy the "Wayward City," a place whose residents are devoted to worshipping idols. Today, it is hard for us to picture such a city, since we probably imagine idolaters as normal families who just happen to worship a statue instead of going to synagogue.
In reality, idol worship was much worse.
Part of ancient cult worship involved various sexual immoralities like public orgies, temple prostitutes, incest, bestiality and carnal molestation (Leviticus 18:27). They also were known to sacrifice children to the gods (Deut. 12:31). Rabbi Akiva (2nd century CE, Israel) reported that he saw a son bind up his father and feed him to ravaging dogs in service of idols. Indeed, modern archaeologists have found mounds of children's bones by pagan altars.
All of this is not a good foundation for the Jewish nation trying to build its home in the Holy Land of Israel. That's why G-d commanded that the Wayward City be totally destroyed along with its inhabitants.
INSIDIOUS IDOLATRY
Now for the interesting part. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 71) states that the Wayward City never occurred. The case is theoretical!
So why does the Torah mention such a case?
The answer is, had we never known the penalty, we would never appreciate the severity of the crime.
The prohibition against idolatry is mentioned 44 times in the Torah – more than any other mitzvah. It is one of the Ten Commandments. It is one of the Six
