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Shoftim: The Parameters of Idolatrous Cultural Appropriation
It is prohibited to plant a tree anywhere in the courtyard area on the Temple Mount: “You shall not plant an asheirah of any tree beside the altar of Hashem, your God, which you shall make for yourself” (Devarim 16:21). The Rambam (Sefer ha’Mitzvos: Lo Taaseh #13) explains the reason for this prohibition:
We are prohibited from planting trees in the Mikdash (Temple) or near the altar for decoration or beauty, even if our intention in this is for the service of Hashem, since the idolaters also honored their idolatry by planting beautiful trees which are pleasing to behold in their houses of worship.
The Rambam (Moreh ha’Nevuchim 3:32) infamously held that korbanos (sacrifices) are a concession to human nature. Hashem would have “preferred” that Judaism have no korbanos whatsoever. The problem is that korbanos were the universal form of worship among idolaters at the time the Torah was given.
Therefore, His wisdom and plan – as is displayed throughout the entirety of creation – did not require the discontinuation, abandonment, and abolition of all these forms of service, because this would have been contrary to the nature of man, who clings to what he is accustomed … It is for this reason that Hashem allowed these kinds of service to continue. He transferred to His service that which had formerly served as a worship of created beings, and of things imaginary and unreal, and commanded us to serve Him in this same manner.
On the surface, the Rambam’s explanation of the prohibition to plant trees on the Temple Mount is undermined by his theory of korbanos. How can the Rambam say that we are prohibited from planting trees in the Temple courtyard because this was a custom of the idolaters, and at the same time, maintain that the entire sacrificial service is modeled after idolatrous modes of worship? Does the Torah endorse or oppose cultural appropriation of idolatrous practices? On what basis does the Torah draw this line?
I believe the answer is that only Hashem knows how to draw that line. Only the Creator of man can determine which forms of idolatrous cultural appropriation are so dangerous that they will lead people down the path of destruction and which forms are either worth the risk or are better than the alternatives.
The Rambam begins Hilchos Avodah Zarah with an account of how idolatry started:
In the days of Enosh, the people made a tremendous error, and the counsel of the wise men of the generation became foolish, and Enosh himself was among those who erred. This was their mistake: they said, “Since God created these planets and these galaxies to control the universe and placed them on high and gave them honor, and they are the servants who minister before Him, it is befitting to praise them and to glorify them and to give them honor. And this is the will of God, blessed is He – to exalt and to honor the ones whom He exalts and honors, just as it is the king’s desire to honor his ministers and those who stand before him, and this honors the king.” Once this notion arose in their hearts, they began to build temples for the planets, and to offer sacrifices to them, and to praise them and to glorify them with words, and to bow down to them, in order to satisfy the will of the Creator, according to their evil minds.
The concept proposed by Enosh and his generation was not irrational. It is true that showing honor to a king’s ministers is a way of showing honor to the king. Rather, their mistake was their arrogant assumption that they could ascertain how best to worship Hashem using their own minds. They couldn’t foresee the disastrous consequences of the practice they introduced. Planting a tree to beautify the Mikdash might seem like a good idea, but our minds are too limited to make that determination. Only Hashem knows which forms of worship are beneficial and detrimental to man, and we must defer to His judgment.
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