Deuteronomy 7:5 - Destroy idolatry, preserve holiness.

Destruction of Idolatry in Eretz Yisrael

The verse (Devarim 12:3) commands Bnei Yisrael to eradicate all traces of idolatry upon entering the Land of Israel. This mitzvah is foundational to establishing a society dedicated to Avodas Hashem. Rashi explains that the repetition of verbs ("destroy," "break," "cut down," "burn") emphasizes the thoroughness required—no remnant of avodah zarah may remain.

Four Categories of Idolatrous Items

• Mizbechotam (Their Altars): The Rambam (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 7:1) teaches that these stone altars must be dismantled completely, as their very existence poses a spiritual danger.
• Matzeivotam (Their Pillars): Ibn Ezra notes these were standing stones used in Canaanite worship. Unlike the matzeivah permitted for Hashem (e.g., Yaakov's pillar), these must be shattered due to their idolatrous context.
• Asheiram (Their Cultic Trees): The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 48a) identifies these as trees planted for idol worship. The term "t'gade'un" (cut down) implies uprooting both the physical tree and its spiritual influence.
• Pesileihem (Their Carved Idols): The Sifri states that burning ensures complete annihilation, as fire destroys both form and substance, leaving no possibility of reconstruction.

Philosophical Underpinnings

The Ramban explains that this commandment serves two purposes: 1) To remove all temptations toward foreign worship, as the yetzer hara is particularly drawn to familiar idolatrous objects, and 2) To demonstrate that these items possess no inherent power—their destruction proves their impotence before the Almighty.

Contemporary Application

While the specific mitzvah applies to Eretz Yisrael, the Chofetz Chaim (in his commentary on Chumash) derives a timeless principle: Just as physical idols must be removed, we must actively eliminate modern "idols"—whether materialism, improper ideologies, or anything that distracts from Torah values—from our personal and communal spheres.