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Deuteronomy 32:38 - Idols fail their worshippers.

Deuteronomy 32:38 - דברים 32:38

Hebrew Text

אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם יָקוּמוּ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶם יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָה׃

English Translation

those that did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

Transliteration

Asher chelev zevacheimo yocheilu yishtu yein nesicham yakumu veya'azruchem yehi aleichem sitra.

Hebrew Leining Text

אֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם        יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה׃        
אֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם        יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה׃        

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context in Tanakh

The verse (Devarim 32:38) appears in Shirat Ha'azinu, Moshe's prophetic song warning Bnei Yisrael against idolatry. It mocks the futility of worshipping false gods who cannot save their devotees, contrasting with Hashem's eternal protection.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi interprets this as sarcasm directed at idol worshippers: "Let those gods you served rise up now in your time of need!" The "fat of their sacrifices" and "wine of their drink offerings" refer to the lavish offerings given to idols, which are powerless to help.

Ibn Ezra's Commentary

Ibn Ezra notes the poetic parallelism - the first half describes the idolaters' devotion ("ate fat... drank wine"), while the second half exposes the emptiness of their trust ("let them rise and help you"). The rhetorical question implies the obvious answer: these gods cannot protect.

Midrashic Interpretation (Sifrei)

The Midrash connects this to the golden calf episode, where the people "ate and drank" (Shemot 32:6) before rising to revel. Here too, their indulgence precedes their downfall, showing how physical pleasures blind people to spiritual truth.

Halachic Insight (Rambam)

Rambam (Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 1:1) cites this verse when explaining how idolatry begins - people mistakenly attribute power to celestial bodies or intermediaries, forgetting that only Hashem provides true protection ("sitra").

Key Themes

  • False Security: Idols cannot provide the protection (sitra) that only Hashem grants
  • Divine Mockery: The sarcastic tone underscores the absurdity of idol worship
  • Consequence: Those who indulge in physical pleasures of idolatry will be abandoned in times of need

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is not quoted in the Talmud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Deuteronomy 32:38 mean?
A: This verse is part of Ha'azinu, Moses' final song to the Jewish people. It criticizes idol worship by sarcastically telling the people to call upon their false gods for help - the gods who 'ate' their sacrifices and drank their offerings. The message is that these powerless idols cannot provide real protection (Rashi, Ibn Ezra).
Q: Why is this verse important?
A: This verse teaches a fundamental Jewish belief about the futility of idol worship. It contrasts the powerless false gods with Hashem, the only true source of protection and salvation. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 102b) uses this to show how foolish idolatry is.
Q: What can we learn from Deuteronomy 32:38 today?
A: We learn that relying on anything other than Hashem for ultimate protection is meaningless. The Sforno explains this verse as warning against putting trust in human allies or material things instead of trusting in G-d. This applies to modern forms of 'idolatry' like excessive materialism.
Q: What is the significance of mentioning fat and wine in this verse?
A: Rashi explains that fat and wine were choice offerings given to idols. The verse mocks how the idols 'consumed' these fine offerings but cannot actually help their worshippers in times of need, unlike Hashem who truly protects His people.
Q: How does this verse connect to the rest of Ha'azinu?
A: This verse is part of Moses' warning about what will happen when the Jewish people abandon Hashem for idols. The Ramban explains it continues the theme that only Hashem is the true source of protection, and turning to false gods will lead to destruction.