Eikev 7:25 · unit 4

Parashas Eikev · Passuk 7:25

The Complete Passuk

פְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֑שׁ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹד֩ כֶּ֨סֶף וְזָהָ֤ב עֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ לָ֔ךְ פֶּ֚ן תִּוָּקֵ֣שׁ בּ֔וֹ כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃

You shall consign the images of their gods to the fire; you shall not covet the silver and gold on them and keep it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared thereby; for that is abhorrent to the ETERNAL your God.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Avodah Zarah 52a.

TT lemma: לא תחמד וגו' (unit 4 of 8).

Sefaria — Avodah Zarah 52a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לא תחמד וגו'. שמואל רמי, כתיב לא תחמוד כסף וזהב עליהם וכתיב ולקחת לך, הא כיצד, פסלו לאלוה – לא תחמוד, פסלו מאלוה – ולקחת לך כונת הקושיא שאם היה זה מאמר אחד הול"ל לקחת לך או לקחתם. [שם שם]

English: Shmuel posed a contradiction: it is written “You shall not covet the silver and gold on them,” and it is written “and take it for yourself.” How so? If he [the non-Jew] fashioned it as a god — “you shall not covet”; if he nullified it from being a god — “and take it for yourself.”

On the daf / in context: Avodah Zarah 52a.

Type of Learning

Custom (resolving contradictory clauses)

What Is Learned

Benefit from the precious plating is forbidden while the object is still treated as a god, and permitted after nullification.