Another matter, “these are the ordinances,” the punishment that is prepared for the wicked is plentiful. What is written in their regard: “He will rain burning coal upon the wicked…” (Psalms 11:6). Because they violate the mitzvot and the laws of the Torah that were given only after the commandments, their punishment is more severe than that of one who nullifies the commandments.82One who sins in his relations with other people is punished more harshly than one who sins only toward God.

The midrash states this regarding the verse “these are the ordinances” because the laws introduced in this passage pertain to interpersonal relations. How so? Israel nullified: “You shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:3), and He forgave them, as idol worship has no substance but only arouses zealotry, as it is stated: “They would arouse His zealotry with strangers” (Deuteronomy 32:16).

Likewise, it is written: “They exchanged their Glory for the molded image of a bull” (Psalms 106:20). But when Israel sinned at Shitim with licentiousness, twenty-four thousand of them fell.83See Numbers 25:1–9. This is analogous to a princess who flirted with a eunuch. The king became angry at her.

They said to him: ‘But did she not flirt with a eunuch?’84The eunuch is incapable of sexual relations. He said: ‘I became angry only because she accustomed herself to flirting and licentiousness.’ Likewise, the Rabbis taught: Lightheartedness and frivolity accustom a person to licentiousness. When she engaged in licentiousness, they told her father that she received twenty-four severe lashes, and he was silent.

So too, what benefit did Israel receive from the worship of idols, which do not see, do not hear, and do not speak, as it is stated: “May their makers be like them” (Psalms 115:8)?85The preceding verses say: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of the hand of man. They have mouths but do not speak; they have eyes but do not see; they have ears but do not hear; they have noses but do not smell; they have hands but do not feel; legs, but they do not walk; they do not speak with their throats” (Psalms 115:4–7).

However, for licentiousness, which is a matter of substance, they were punished. They were forgiven for idol worship, but regarding these laws and mitzvot, the Holy One blessed be He cautioned them, as it is stated: “Observe mitzvot and live” (Proverbs 7:2) and likewise, “Inscribe them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 7:3).