Pisqa’ 81¹⁴⁵

1. “Take care” (Dt. 12:30)— this phrase denotes a proscription.

footnotes: ¹⁴⁵ H:135; JN1:227.

“Lest” (Dt. 12:30)— and this also denotes a proscription. “Lest you be enticed to follow them” (Dt. 12:30)— perhaps you will be drawn after them, or, perhaps, you will resemble them, emulating their behavior, and they will become a trap for you.

“After He has annihilated them from before you” (Dt. 12:30). Why shall I annihilate them from before you? So that you do not emulate their behavior, causing others to come to annihilate you.

“Lest you seek out their gods, saying” (Dt. 12:30)— do not say: since they go about in a toga, I, too, will go about in a toga! Since they go about in purple, I, too, will go about in purple! Since they go about in broad pants, I, too, will go about in broad pants! ”And I shall do the same!” (Dt. 12:30).

2. “Do not treat HASHEM your God in this way” (Dt. 12:31)— this way can refer to the one serving the god, or this way can refer to the object that is served as a god. On this basis, they taught: Regarding an item normally offered on the Altar— if they offer it in service of a foreign cult, [the officiant] is held liable [for serving a foreign cult]. Regarding an item normally offered in a foreign cult— if they offer it on the Altar, [the officiant] is exempt from liability. Regarding an item not normally offered on the Altar, yet they offered it in service of a foreign cult— if a similar item is offered on the Altar, he is held liable. But if not, he is exempt.¹⁴⁶

footnotes: ¹⁴⁶ F: 146, n.6 ascribes this construction to Mechilta Shimon, p. 105 (ed. Hoffmann). But I cannot find it in ed. Epstein-Melammed or ed. Nelson.

Is it possible to say that they should not offer Purification-offerings or Guilt-offerings [on the Altar, to avoid the appearance of idolatrous service]? The Teaching states: “For they performed for their gods every abomination that HASHEM your God hates” (Dt. 12:31)— this refers to offering an item that is both hateful and abominable to the All-Present, [excluding legitimate offerings]. Another word: Their intention was only to offer what the All-Present hates.3. “For also their sons and daughters they immolated in fire to their gods” (Dt. 12:31)— I might infer only that they offered up their children. How do I know to include their fathers and mothers? The Teaching states: “Also their sons”— meaning not just their sons. “Also their daughters”— meaning not just their daughters. Said R. Akiva: I saw a certain gentile who tied up his father before his dog. And the dog ate him!