Chumash Yisro 20 part 2

What is Rashi's question on the words לֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֣ה־לְךָ֩?

• Why does it say do not have idols if in the next Passuk it says you can't make idols?

• Why is this commandment second?

• Why is it written in a singular tense?

Rashi's answer on the words לֹא⁠ יִהְיֶה⁠ לְךָ?

• As long as Hashem exists which is forever. Hashem says this so that you should not say that only that generation in the past was commanded not to serve idolatry.

• It is written in singular to give Moshe a future argument to allow Bnei Yisroel to do Teshuva

• A person may understand they cant make an idol but they may think its fine to have an idol in their house that’s already made. Therefore the Torah tells us לֹא⁠ יִהְיֶה⁠ לְךָ you shall not own/ posses

לֹא⁠ יִהְיֶה⁠ לְךָ means:

• You shall not own

• You shall not buy

• You shall not build

אֵין⁠ לִי⁠ אֶלָּא⁠ שֶׁלֹּא⁠ יַעֲשֶׂה transalte:

• How do I know that I am not allowed to have it?

• Why does it say (don’t own any idols) ?

• I would know only that one cant make idols

הֶעָשׂוּי⁠ כְּבָר translate:

• An idol that is already made

• An idol that has already been sold

• An idol that someone threw away

What לאו do we learn from לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ פֶ֣סֶל?

• You are not permitted to WORSHIP an idol in any of the 4 usual ways of worship.

• You are not allowed to BELIEVE or OWN (Rashi) idols.

• You are not allowed to MAKE an idol even if you’re not going to keep it in your house, or if its for someone else.

What did we learn from Rashi on the words אלקים אֲחֵרִ֜ים?

• You are not allowed to MAKE an idol even if you’re not going to keep it in your house, or if its for someone else.

• Hashem says these words so that you should not say that only that generation in the past was commanded not to serve idolatry.

• The word אֲחֵרִ֜ים teaches us that it refers to strange gods, for they are strange to their worshippers.

What does Rashi tell us on the words עַל־פָּנַ֗י?

• The importance of having Emunah

• They cry out to them, but they do not answer them, and it appears as if it the god were a stranger, who never knew the person worshiping.

• This means as long as Hashem exists which is forever. Hashem says this so that you should not say that only that generation in the past was commanded not to serve idolatry

On Passuk Zayin Rashi tells us there are generally 2 types of forbidden oaths:

• To swear on something that is obviously not true. Either it’s a lie or not possible

• שבועת שוא

• To swear a useless oath. For example, something that is obviously true.

• שבועת שקר

The types of useless oaths include

• To swear something obviously false.

• To swear something obviously true

• To swear to violate a Mitzvah

• To swear to do something he cannot do