Divinity

Why does the Torah oppose idolatry with such great force, and what in fact is the problem with a person bowing to a statue or a tangible symbol? Idolatry is a deep distortion of the concept of the Divine and of the stature of man alike, because when a person creates for himself a tangible god that he can see, touch, or control through rituals, he reduces the Divine infinite to dimensions that are convenient for him, to his fears and to the boundaries of his consciousness, and thereby God ceases to be a source that lifts man above himself and becomes a projection of his weaknesses. The statue is not the problem, but rather the psychological and spiritual meaning of turning God into something that can be manipulated. Such a relationship empties the moral and demanding dimension of faith, and replaces it with an external and convenient connection, whereas the Torah seeks a connection that enlarges man and does not diminish God.

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