JHI Dvar Torah on Parshat Acharei Mot

PARSHAT ACHAREI MOT – EXALTED AND EXALTING SPIRITUALITY
Parshat Acharei Mot contains the prohibition against a form of idolatry known as the “Molech.” The Commentary of Ramban writes that the service of the Molech entailed presenting one’s young child or grandchild to a priest of the Molech who then passed the child through a fire until death ensued. According to the Torah, this idolatry is itself a capital offense (in addition to the other capital offence of murder for which only the Molech priest is technically liable).

In articulating the prohibition of Molech, the Torah in Parshat Acharei Mot (18:21) writes: “You shall not present any of your children to pass through for Molech, and do not profane the Name of your G-d…” The juxtaposition within the sentence is interesting. First, the Torah forbids one from serving the Molech; then it continues, “And do not profane the Name of your G-d.” How does the second part of the sentence follow upon the heels of the first?

The Commentary of Sforno explains: “If you sacrifice other (lesser) forms of life to The Blessed G–d and to the Molech you sacrifice a child, it would appear from this that the Molech is greater than He (G-d), perish the thought.”

According to the Sforno, the Torah is communicating this message to the one contemplating service of the Molech in order to dissuade him. According to the Torah, human sacrifice is never permitted. But ignoring this prohibition and sacrificing your own child makes you additionally guilty of an entirely different type of wrongdoing: Sacrificing a human child’s life to the Molech while sacrificing only animals to Hashem (G-d) in the Temple in Jerusalem, is a slight to Hashem’s Honor.

One who commits this sin is deeply entrenched into the degeneracy of idolatry. In particular, he is especially committed to the Molech. Serving the Molech entails violating one of Judaism’s three cardinal sins (idolatry, murder, and adultery). In ancient times when Israel was governed by the laws of the Torah, he could have been executed for the transgression. Furthermore, he is forfeiting the life of his own beloved child in order to serve the Molech.

How does one reach out to someone so decadent in order to inspire him to repent? To what message will someone so evil respond? Seemingly, in this situation, a more direct and jolting communication would be most effective “You are killing your own beloved child. You yourself could be executed. Look at the depravity to which you have sunk. Repent and reclaim your life!”

Yet based on the Sforno, the message for the would-be idolater touches upon sublime (if not esoteric) nuances of effrontery to G-d’s honor. “Would you dishonor Hashem bringing a dearer sacrifice to the Molech?” This person is profoundly driven to the debauchery of the Molech – so much so that he is willing to forfeit human life - his own and that of his own child. Seemingly, the exalted details of G-d’s honor mean nothing to such a person.

The Sforno’s understanding is based on an idea that is basic to the Torah’s understanding of mankind. All people are endowed with a G-dly neshama (soul). Even when one lives a life of sin, that soul and its lofty agenda are still a part of him. However, the soul is buried under layers of wrongdoing. Yet, at any time the soul of even the worst sinner might be awakened and energized by a call to G-dly behavior. Hence, when the Torah calls out to the one about to serve the Molech, it bypasses the person’s terribly sinful conduct and focuses instead upon that which is most exalted. It appeals directly to the neshama and reminds it that one should only act in a matter that honors The Almighty.

This points to an interesting dichotomy within man. People, as a rule, cannot easily acquire spiritual heights, no matter how hard they try. True spirituality must be accessed in developmental stages. (For this reason, many ‘baalei teshuva’ suffer setbacks - they try to ascend the ladder of holiness too-far-too-fast.) Yet, it is also true that a person mired in depravity can be rescued by a call to the sublime. People at the lowest rungs of immorality who are full of rationalizations that justify sinning are nevertheless responsive to the call of the most lofty of ideals. That higher call can somehow at times interface with the soul and deflate the human rationalizations.

It should also be pointed that obviously, being depraved is not a requirement in order to hear the call to extreme spirituality. All otherwise “good” people struggle with recurring and hard to control impulses that are detrimental to one’s personal growth. The Sforno is teaching that for all people, focusing on the imperative to attain holiness can be the catalyst that enables one to break loose from the frustrating grip of repetitive bad or immoral behavior.


Among the most grandiose statements of the Passover Haggadah is the phrase, “In each and every generation, one is obligated to see himself as if he exited Egypt.” The descriptions of the Bible and the Talmud indicate that the great events of the Exodus featured many outright manifestations of G-d’s Being. The obligation when sitting at the Seder is therefore to somehow relive the manifested G-dliness and spirituality of the Exodus to the extent of feeling as if physically present.

The Sforno in Achearei Mot adds yet additional significance to this Seder experience. It teaches that the exalted spirituality of the Seder can have an exalting effect on each person’s perpetual and hard to control shortcomings.


We wish a Chag Kasher V’Someach – a happy Passover to all.



Please consider sponsoring this weekly email Dvar Torah. It is a meaningful way to note an occasion such as a graduation, birthday, anniversary, yahrzeit, etc. The “cost” is $120. The sponsorship will be noted in the Dvar. Thank you in advance!