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3 [1] BECAUSE HE HATH GIVEN OF HIS SEED UNTO MOLECH, TO DEFILE MY SANCTUARY — “The congregation of Israel which is sanctified unto Me.” This is Rashi’s language. I have already hinted at this, how on account of one man’s sin the congregation of Israel which is sanctified to His Great Name can become defiled. And the Sages have [also] already hinted at this in their homiletic interpretations when saying: “He who enjoys anything of this world without saying a benediction, is considered as if he had robbed the Holy One, blessed be He, and the congregation of Israel, as it is said, *Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith: ‘It is no transgression,’ the same is the companion of a destroyer*. The expression *his father* refers only to the Holy One, blessed be He, and *his mother* refers only to the congregation of Israel. *The same is the companion of the destroyer*, he is a companion of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, *who caused Israel to sin*, against their Father in heaven.” For the purpose of Creation was that people should offer their benediction over [its bounties] to the Great Name, assuring thereby the existence of the world, but if that is not done, the Great Name is raised on high and the Divine Presence is removed from Israel, and surely this happens all the more so when a person offers his seed to the Molech, and thereby causes that He *abhor the pride of Jacob* and His dwelling place [i.e., the Sanctuary]. This is the meaning of the expression, *the people of the Land shall stone him with stones*, for He did not say: “he shall surely be put to death; they shall stone him with stones,” as is mentioned in all such cases, but instead mentions *the people of the Land*, meaning to say that all the people of the Land — all Israel — are obliged to precede to stone him, for [having given of his seed to Molech] he has harmed everybody, because he has caused that the Divine Presence be removed from Israel. It is for this reason that Onkelos translated [the expression, *the people of the Land*]: “the people of the house of Israel,” for the term *the Land* alludes to the whole Land of Israel, not merely the land wherein the worshipper [of the Molech] happens to reside, this being similar [to the expression], *for all the earth is Mine*. The secret thereof you will also be able to understand from that which Scripture mentions with reference to [the punishment of] excision for worshipping the Molech, *I also will set My face against that man*, and again, *then will I set My face against that man*, meaning that My Great and Fearful Name will cut him off. The word “I” He did not mention in the case of excision for practicing the sorcery of the *ov* or the *yide’oni*, nor in the case of any other such punishment. I have already stated the reason for all this to all who understand.
Version: Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002108945/NLI
License: CC-BY