When we hear the word idol, we think of a statue of a person or animal that is the focus of worship. For example in this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tisa, we think of the golden calf the Israelites made soon after they left Egypt (Ex. 32:1-6). We know that God abhors such images (Go back to the 10 Commandments and reread Exodus 20:4-6), yet is it possible that we worship idols without knowing it?
I read about a woman who kept her car in showroom condition. One night her garage caught on fire, and her neighbors had to restrain her from rushing into the flames to rescue her car. As it exploded, she realized that she had nearly sacrificed her life for that car. It had become an idol.
Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book God in Search of Man explains what an idol is. “A thing, a force, a person, a group, an institution or an ideal, regarded as supreme. God alone is supreme. The prophet abhors idolatry. He refuses to regard the instrumental as final, the temporal as ultimate. “(page 415)
In modern times, when very few Jews are tempted to worship idols in the older sense, we like the woman above worship idols of our own making, like power, prestige, fame, and wealth. Jewish thinkers have called attention to different forms of idolatry‑-the worship of the leader, for instance, as in totalitarian regimes, or the worship of causes, persons, and “isms” of various kinds.
What’s the supreme and
ultimate focus of your life? The answer may surprise you. Shabbat Parah begins
our spiritual preparation for Passover and hopefully our final redemption. Now
is the time for a course correction.
No comments:
Post a Comment