PUT AWAY THE STRANGE GODS, ETC. These were the silver and gold vessels that they had taken from Shechem, and on which were engraved images of their gods. R. Judah said: ‘Their idols themselves were made of silver and gold, and Jacob hid them there in order that his children should not make use of the side of idolatry, as a man is forbidden to have any benefit whatsoever from it;’
As R. Judah and R. Hizkiah were once walking together on the road, the latter said: ‘It is written: “And he took the crown of Malcam from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head” (II Sam. 12, 30). Now, we have been taught that “Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (I Kings 40, 5) is the same as Malcam in this verse. How, then, was this crown permitted to be set on David’s head? And further, why is it called “abomination”, whereas other idols are referred to as “gods of the peoples”, “strange gods”, and the like?’
R. Judah replied: ‘Indeed, other idols are also called abominations, as we read: “And ye have seen their abominable things and their idols” (Deut. 29, 16). As regards the identification of Malcam with Milcom, this is certainly correct; nevertheless David was able to use the crown of Malcam because Ittai the Gittite, before he became a proselyte, broke it, that is to say, he disfigured the image which was on it, and so made its use permissible,1According to the Rabbinical rule: “An idolater can render his idol null and void.”. and it was set on David’s head. The idol of the Ammonites was a serpent graven deep on that crown, and for that reason it was called abomination.’
R. Isaac said that the order “put away the strange gods” referred to the other women who brought with them on their persons all their ornaments. Hence it is written: AND THEY GAVE UNTO JACOB ALL THE FOREIGN GODS , to wit, of those women. AND JACOB HID THEM so that his people should not derive any benefit whatever from the side of idolatry.
Observe the complete devotion of Jacob to the Almighty, as shown by his words: AND LET US ARISE, AND GO UP TO BETH-EL, AND I WILL MAKE THERE AN ALTAR UNTO GOD, WHO ANSWERED ME IN THE DAY OF MY DISTRESS, AND WAS WITH ME IN THE WAY WHICH I WENT. From these last words we learn that it is incumbent on a man to praise God and to give Him thanks for any miracle or any kindness that He has shown him.
Observe that first Jacob said: “let us arise and go up to Beth-El”, thus associating his children with him; but then: “and I will make there an altar”, and not “we will make”. The reason was that this task devolved upon him alone, since it was he who had passed through all those tribulations from the time when he fled from his brother, whereas his sons were not born until after. Hence he did not associate them with him.
R. Eleazar said: ‘From here we learn that he to whom a miracle is vouchsafed must himself offer thanks; just as he who has eaten a meal should say grace, and not one who has eaten nothing.’
הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלהֵי הַנֵּכָר וְגו'. הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלהֵי הַנֵּכָר, אִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּנָטְלוּ מִשְּׁכֶם מָאנֵי כַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא דְּהֲוָה חָקִיק עֲלַיְיהוּ טַעֲוָא דִלְהוֹן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, טַעֲוָון הֲווּ מִכַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא. וְיַעֲקֹב אַטְמִין לוֹן תַּמָּן, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְהַנּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִתְהַנֵּי מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין.
PUT AWAY THE STRANGE GODS, ETC. These were the silver and gold vessels that they had taken from Shechem, and on which were engraved images of their gods. R. Judah said: ‘Their idols themselves were made of silver and gold, and Jacob hid them there in order that his children should not make use of the side of idolatry, as a man is forbidden to have any benefit whatsoever from it;’
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַאי דִכְתִיב, (שמואל ב י״ב:ל׳) וַיִּקַּח אֶת עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם מֵעַל רֹאשׁוֹ וּמִשְׁקָלָהּ כִּכַּר זָהָב וְאֶבֶן יְקָרָה וַתְּהִי עַל רֹאשׁ דָּוִד. וְתָנִינָן, שִׁקּוּץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן מִלְכֹּם שְׁמֵיהּ. וְדָא הוּא עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם. מַאי טַעֲמָא וַתְּהִי עַל רֹאשׁ דָּוִד. וּמַאי טַעְמָא כְּתִיב שִׁקּוּץ. דְּהָא בִּשְׁאָר טַעֲוָון עַמְּמַיָא עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּתִיב אֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים, אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, אֵל נֵכָר, אֵל אַחֵר, וּבְהַאי אָמַר שִׁקּוּץ חַד.
As R. Judah and R. Hizkiah were once walking together on the road, the latter said: ‘It is written: “And he took the crown of Malcam from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head” (II Sam. 12, 30). Now, we have been taught that “Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (I Kings 40, 5) is the same as Malcam in this verse. How, then, was this crown permitted to be set on David’s head? And further, why is it called “abomination”, whereas other idols are referred to as “gods of the peoples”, “strange gods”, and the like?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, וּבְכָל טַעֲוָון עַמְּמַיָיא עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָכִי קָרָא לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב, (דברים כג) וַתִּרְאוּ אֶת שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם וְאֶת גִּלּוּלֵיהֶם. וּמַה דְּאָמַר וַיִּקַּח אֶת עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם, דְּאִיהוּ מִלְכּוֹם, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. אֶלָּא אִיתַּי הַגִּתִּי עַד דְּלָא אִתְגְיַּיר, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ תָּבַר לָהּ לְהַהוּא עֲטֶרֶת דְּאִיהוּ מִלְכּוֹם, הַהוּא דִיוּקְנָא דְּחֲקִיק עֲלָהּ וּפָגִים לָהּ. כְּדֵין אִיהוּ עֲבַד לָהּ הֵיתֵּר לְאִתְהַנֵּי מִנָּהּ וְהֲוַת עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, שִׁקּוּץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, חַד חִוְיָא בְּסוּרְטָא הֲוָה חָקִיק עַל הַהוּא כִּתְרָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי שִׁקּוּץ זוּהֲמָא.
R. Judah replied: ‘Indeed, other idols are also called abominations, as we read: “And ye have seen their abominable things and their idols” (Deut. 29, 16). As regards the identification of Malcam with Milcom, this is certainly correct; nevertheless David was able to use the crown of Malcam because Ittai the Gittite, before he became a proselyte, broke it, that is to say, he disfigured the image which was on it, and so made its use permissible,1According to the Rabbinical rule: “An idolater can render his idol null and void.”. and it was set on David’s head. The idol of the Ammonites was a serpent graven deep on that crown, and for that reason it was called abomination.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלהֵי הַנֵּכָר, אִלֵּין שְׁאָר נָשִׁין דְּהֲווּ מַיְיתֵי בְּגַוַּיְיהוּ כָּל נְבַזְבְּזָן דִּלְהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶל יַעֲקֹב אֶת כָּל אֱלֹהֵי הַנִּכָר. אִלֵּין נָשִׁין, כָּל נְבַזְבְּזָן וְכָל טַעֲוָון דְּדַהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא. וַיִּטְמוֹן אוֹתָם יַעֲקֹב, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְהַנּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּלָל.
R. Isaac said that the order “put away the strange gods” referred to the other women who brought with them on their persons all their ornaments. Hence it is written: AND THEY GAVE UNTO JACOB ALL THE FOREIGN GODS , to wit, of those women. AND JACOB HID THEM so that his people should not derive any benefit whatever from the side of idolatry.
תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּיַעֲקֹב גְּבַר שְׁלִים בְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה, וְהֲוָה מִתְדַּבַּק בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מַה כְּתִיב, וְנָקוּמָה וְנַעֲלֲה בֵּית אֵל וְאֶעֱשֶׂה שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לָאֵל הָעוֹנֶה אוֹתִי בְּיוֹם צָרָתִי וַיְהִי עִמָּדִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָכְתִּי, מִיָּד וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶל יַעֲקֹב. מִכָּאן דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְשַׁבָּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּלְאוֹדָאָה לֵיהּ עַל נִסִּין וְעַל טָבָאן דְּעֲבַד עִמֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי עִמָּדִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָכְתִּי.
Observe the complete devotion of Jacob to the Almighty, as shown by his words: AND LET US ARISE, AND GO UP TO BETH-EL, AND I WILL MAKE THERE AN ALTAR UNTO GOD, WHO ANSWERED ME IN THE DAY OF MY DISTRESS, AND WAS WITH ME IN THE WAY WHICH I WENT. From these last words we learn that it is incumbent on a man to praise God and to give Him thanks for any miracle or any kindness that He has shown him.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְנָקוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה בֵּית אֵל וְגו', אַכְלִיל בְּנוֹי בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב וְאֶעֱשֶׂה שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ וְלָא כְּתִיב וְנַעֲשֶׂה. דְּאַפִּיק לוֹן מִכְּלָלָא דָא, מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּעֲלֵיהּ הֲוָה מִלָּה. יַעֲקֹב אַתְקִין תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית, וַדַּאי. וְאִיהוּ עֲבַד מַדְבְּחָא וְעֲלֵיהּ הֲוָה מִלָּה, וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ עָבַר כָּל אִינוּן עָקְתִין מִן יוֹמָא דְעָרַק קַמֵּיהּ דְּאֲחוּהָ. דִּכְתִיב וַיְהִי עִמָּדִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָכְתִּי, וְאִינוּן אָתוּ לְבָתַר לְעַלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא לָא אָעִיל לוֹן בַּהֲדֵיהּ.
Observe that first Jacob said: “let us arise and go up to Beth-El”, thus associating his children with him; but then: “and I will make there an altar”, and not “we will make”. The reason was that this task devolved upon him alone, since it was he who had passed through all those tribulations from the time when he fled from his brother, whereas his sons were not born until after. Hence he did not associate them with him.
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, מִכָּאן מַאן דְּיִתְעֲבִיד לֵיהּ נִסָּא, אִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְאוֹדָאָה. מַאן דְּאָכִיל נַהֲמָא בְּפָתוֹרָא, אִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא, וְלָא אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אָכִיל מִידִי:
R. Eleazar said: ‘From here we learn that he to whom a miracle is vouchsafed must himself offer thanks; just as he who has eaten a meal should say grace, and not one who has eaten nothing.’