Notes Taken In Vivo Week Before Last

I am at the Gush Yemei Iyun.  I am in a class on Avodah Zarah.  The topic is what is so bad about it.

David Netiv

In the story of Shechem is the first time that in a pasuk itself the expression or the idea of elokei neichar is used explicitly. Previously Avimelech is told by Avraham that due to no Yirat Elokim anything can happen, even murder - so avodah zarah is hinted to.  With Eishet Potifar too Yirat Elokim comes up. People can do religious externals but not be connected to other realms in one's behavior.  Menasheh - dam naki shafach...Yosef adds to the brothers that he's yerei Elokim, and thus keeps his word.  He repeats in 44:16 - Yehuda mentions G-d, that this connection means to be ehrlich... 45:2-5 It was from G-d...

Monotheism via Judaism is not a mathematical introduction - it's the idea of G-d seeing everything in a consistent and all encompassing way. More than one boss allows for holes and various behaviors... Separation of church and state... A Jew in the home...All time, all places, this is monotheism vs. A"Z - A"Z means that you can be not yerei Elokim, as there are realms where you can compartmentalize and separate...

Mitzvot are the focus of Devarim - need to be more than believer in word or heart...

Molech has all 3 of the big 3... killing seed, worship, relations... thus symbol of AZ...