Parashat Va'ethanan: Behind the curtain

In his final address to the Jewish people, Moses urged them to resist the allure of pagan cultures awaiting them in the Land of Israel. After 40 years of isolation in the desert, shielded from the ancient world's potent religious influences, the Israelites had already succumbed to idolatry twice: the Golden Calf shortly after Sinai and later the worship of Peor through an encounter with the Midianites.

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For the modern reader, however, Moses’ fear raises an obvious question: what made idolatry so attractive in the first place?

Moses anticipated even greater challenges once the Israelites settled among the Canaanite nations, surrounded by their temples and rituals. For the modern reader, the attraction of idolatry seems incomprehensible in a world shaped by science and reason. However, the article argues this view is anachronistic. Ancient peoples lived in a far less predictable and secure environment, subject to drought, famine, disease, and war. Their survival depended on forces they couldn't control or understand, making them seek favor from higher powers believed to govern these elements.

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The idols were not worshiped as gods in themselves, but as tangible representations of these unseen forces.

The appeal of idols, not as gods themselves but as tangible representations of nature's mysterious and overwhelming power, becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of ancient life. The worship of Peor, however, presents a unique mystery. Its adherents expressed devotion through defecation, a private and undignified act. This cult captivated thousands, leading to the deaths of 24,000 Jews. Rabbi Yehuda Amital explained its ethos as the belief that everything natural is holy precisely because it is natural. Defecation was elevated to an act of worship, proclaiming this philosophy through a deeply unconventional ritual.

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Whatever lay behind this bizarre ritual, it possessed an extraordinary power to captivate thousands of people.