UNITING AND WINNING

In this week's parshah we find a warning to those who "go and worship other gods ... which I have not commanded." Why is it not enough to warn of the issur of idol worship? Why does the passuk add, "which I have not commanded"?

The Ksav Sofer explains that among those who worship idols are people who recognize that Hashem is the Creator of the world; they even recognize that Hashem controls everything. Nonetheless, they believe that Hashem endowed certain forces of nature (such as the sun, moon, and stars) with the power to act independently of Him, and gave us the option of worshiping those forces of nature themselves. Therefore, the passuk stresses that forces of nature have no power at all; everything they seem to do is simply Hashem acting via them.

While this may seem like an abstract notion in our times, the truth is that we have to constantly be on our guard to stop falling into a similar mindset. When a tragedy occurs, lo aleinu, it's relatively easy to see Hashem's hand and realize that He alone orchestrated it; it's when we face the smaller trials and tribulations of daily life that we often fall into the trap of blaming others in our lives for our suffering.

Unlike earthquakes, fires, or tornadoes, people have bechirah, and it can be challenging to remember that while a certain person really did have a choice about how to behave toward us, the net effect their actions have on our lives is only from Hashem. Remembering that can often help a great deal in healing relationships where accusations and blame have caused so much grief.