Negative Commandment #8

Sefer Ha’mitzvos Ha’Katzar (The concise book of mitzvos)By the Chofetz Chaim

This book lists the Torah mitzvos that can be observed today

Second Section – the Negative Commandments

8. It is a negative commandment not to raise a thought of any other god besides Hashem

As it states in Shemos (Exodus) 20:3, “You shall not have any other god before me.” Heaven forbid, if a thought arises in a person’s mind of another god, or Heaven forbid, a partner with G-d, or if a person believes in idol worship, Heaven forbid, this person denies the main principle of Judaism.

A person should not state there is any substance to idoltry, Heaven forbid, nor should he acknowledge idolatry in any way, Heaven forbid. A person that does this is like a person that denies all of the Torah because he denies the main principle of Judaism. We are required to be ready to give up our life to perform this mitzvah, if we need to. This is because anything that is a main principle in Judaism, a person is required to die instead of transgressing.

This applies at all times and in all places, for men and for women.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email