Abarbanel on Torah

Abarbanel on Torah, Deuteronomy 12:29:1

When the Lord, your God, shall cut off the nations, etc." to, "If a prophet arises among you, etc." (Deuteronomy 12:29–13:2): In the chapters [entitled] Arba Mitot and Rebbe Yishmael in Sanhedrin, our sages, may their memories be blessed, expounded this section to be about one worshiping idolatry in its fashion always being liable for it. As it is because [before this, the Torah] only punished for worshiping idolatry, with regard to sacrificing, raising incense, pouring a libation or bowing to anything besides God alone. So it came to teach here that if the way of [a certain] idolatry is to worship it with something else — like relieving oneself in front of Peor or throwing a stone at Markulis (Mercury), which is their worship — he is liable. But sacrificing, raising incense, pouring a libation, or bowing is liable even when it is not like its form [of worship]. So did Rashi explain, may his memory be blessed. However according to this explanation, its stating, "You shall not act thus toward the Lord, your God," (Deuteronomy 12:31) is difficult. And it indicates that it is not a warning that they should not worship their gods but rather that they should not worship the glorious God with their worship. And hence the other commentators did well when they said that the intent of the commandment is that they should not worship the exalted One with these nations' [other forms of] worship. And also the rabbi of the Guide (Guide for the Perplexed 3:45) interpreted thus. And according to this true opinion, the explanation of the verses would be according to what I say: "When He shall cut off, etc." - when God, may He be blessed, cuts off those nations from before you and the name of idolatry will be forgotten from the earth, do not think in your heart that God, may He be blessed, cut off the worshippers of other gods not on account of their worship being evil but rather since they were giving honor and proper worship to the work of human hands, wood, and stone. For it is not fitting to give glory to another, and give His praise to idols, just as sacrificing, raising incense, pouring a libation, or bowing is forbidden besides only to God. And hence perhaps you would inquire about their gods. Meaning you would inquire and investigate, to know these divine services; not to worship them, but to do it for the glorious and awesome God, like these nations were doing for their gods, that it be good before Him. [Hence] "You shall not act thus toward the Lord, your God," since those types of worship that were practiced were abominable in themselves before God, may He be blessed. So how could they be chosen? And that is what it states, "because whatever is abominable to God, what He hates, they have done for their gods." And the proof for this is "that even their sons and their daughters do they burn in fire to their gods." And that is truly an abomination before God, may He be blessed, to spill innocent blood, as well as for man to be cruel to the fruit of his innards to not have mercy upon him. And it sealed its words, "Everything that I am commanding you, be careful to fulfill it; do not add to it and do not take away from it (Deuteronomy 13:1)." Meaning to say, it is enough for you with what the Torah commanded you, that you should take care to do all of the commandments that I commanded you; and you should not add to them. For 'anyone who adds is taking away.' So it is enough for you with the sacrifices and the forms of worship that God, may He be blessed, commanded to do in His Temple. For He chose them, and not the worship of those nations. And behold this section comes in this place because above, it commanded that they should not worship God, may He be blessed, in those places where those nations were worshipping, but rather in the place that He would choose, with those gifts and sacrifices that it mentioned, and with the worship of the sacrifices that it mentioned, which were already explained in the book of Torat Kohanim [Leviticus]. Hence after the Torah explained [about] the Chosen House [the Temple], it stated that they should not think to add anything upon the commandments from the worship of the nations, for this would not be acceptable, but rather an "abominable incense." But regarding if it is possible that they add something from their hearts and their minds to the [varied prescribed forms of] worship of God — not from the worship of the gods of the nations — it would already seem from here that it would be permitted. For behold it only prohibited, "How did these nations worship their gods (Deuteronomy 12:30)." However it already prohibited this in Parashat Vaetchanan in its stating, "Do not add to the matter that I am commanding you and do not take away from it; to guard the commandments of the Lord, your God (Deuteronomy 4:2)." Indeed, the Rambam in the Commentary on the Mishnah in his mention of the principles [of faith] that he brought on the first mishnah in the chapter [entitled] Chelek, brought a proof about the eternity of the Torah from that which it stated here, "Everything that I am commanding you, be careful to fulfill it; do not add to it and do not take away from it." And the author of the Sefer HaIkkarim questioned him, by saying that this verse did not come to warn about the eternity of the Torah and the commandments but rather about the way of doing them; that we should not learn the manner of the worship of their gods from worshippers of idolatry and it come from this to be an addition or reduction [to the Torah]. And this is as you can see from his words in Chapter 14 of Ma'amar 1 in his book. And I already responded to his words, in the book Rosh Amanah that I made on the principles [of faith], that the Rambam, may his memory be blessed, did not make any principle from a specific commandment; and he did not say that it is a principle of the Torah that we not add to the Torah or take away from it. Rather, he said that the principle of faith is that the Torah is eternal, as it is [explained]. And as a proof about its eternity, he brought its saying, "Everything that I am commanding you, be careful to fulfill it." And [the verse] is a projection of the future. It is as if [Moshe] said, "These commandments that I am commanding you today are eternal from the angle of God, may He be blessed. So keep them forever and ever. And therefore, do not add to, and do not take away from them. For how can people add or take away anything from their [own] hearts upon the thing that God, may He be blessed, made to stand permanently before Him?"