The Commandment of No Other Gods and the Danger of Hidden Idolatry

One of the ten commandments is: “You shall have no other gods,” which means that we must not believe in other powers. This prohibition includes believing in any force in the universe other than God.

Rabbi Noach Weinberg explains that this is a negative commandment, yet a continuous one. If the instruction “do not believe in other gods” is constant, it follows that the temptation to believe in other powers is also constant.

“Why is the temptation constant?” Rabbi Weinberg asks. He points out that even King David says in Tehillim, “There shall be no strange god within you.” What kind of foreign god exists inside a person?

In Tractate Shabbat (105b), our Sages explain that this “strange god” refers to the evil inclination, the inner tendency toward self destruction and distance from God. The evil inclination constantly tries to distract us from recognizing that God is the only true power in existence.

The phrase “powers of the universe” includes anything we believe is responsible for our success. Maimonides explains that idolatry does not begin or end in a single step; it is a process. In ancient times, when idol worship contained a spiritual intention, people would carve a piece of wood and call it the “sun god,” originally intending to honor God as the Creator of the sun. But over time, the original purpose was forgotten, and people began worshipping the sun itself. At that point, they believed in an additional power, separate from God, as the source of strength and salvation.

“People begin with clarity,” Rabbi Weinberg explains, “but then something happens and they lose focus on what truly matters.” Today, even though classic idol worship is rare, many people still believe that money, fame, honor, possessions, or beauty will fulfill them and bring happiness. In essence, this too is a form of idolatry.

“Moreover,” Rabbi Weinberg adds, “today we face an even greater challenge: do we attribute our success to God, or to ourselves?”

Only Through the Strength God Gives Me

The belief that we accomplish everything on our own is a form of “belief in other powers besides God.” This mindset is destructive, because when we attribute strength solely to ourselves, we limit our potential. Rabbi Weinberg explains that whenever something feels too difficult or painful, we say, “I can’t.” We assume that everything we achieved until now came from our own strength, and therefore anything beyond it must be impossible.

When people stop trying, it is often because they believe in the “foreign god” within themselves, the voice that says: “Everything depends on me. Nothing can happen without me.”

A person must understand that the phrase “I can’t” is accurate in one sense: “I” alone cannot do everything. Only through the strength God gives me am I able to accomplish even simple tasks, like tying my shoelaces.

“Do not think that taking credit for your achievements will give you more strength,” Rabbi Weinberg says. “On the contrary, it causes you to give up more quickly. But when we understand that everything we achieve is a gift from God, it empowers us with the knowledge that there is no limit to what we can accomplish. If the Creator stands behind us, there is no basis for saying ‘I can’t.’”

Rabbi Weinberg explains that this is why the commandment is constant: it requires tremendous effort to avoid saying, “Look what I did, look who I am.” When you attribute everything to yourself, your connection to God begins to fade.

How Ridiculous Pride Can Be

Rabbi Weinberg suggests examining three areas in which people often take unjustified credit:

1. Natural abilities

2. Achievements

3. Personal goodness

He explains why pride in each of these areas can be misguided.

1. Taking Credit for Natural Abilities

Imagine someone saying, “Raise one hand and I’ll prove how impressive I am. I can tell whether it’s your right hand or your left.” Rabbi Weinberg asks in disbelief, “You want to impress me with your eyesight?”

As absurd as it sounds, people often take pride in natural talents they were born with. A genius may feel superior to others. But is that different from someone boasting about having perfect vision among people who wear glasses?

Beautiful or intelligent individuals sometimes become arrogant because society praises those traits. We are not saying they should hide their gifts. But why take credit for something we did not earn? Instead, thank God for the gift.

2. Taking Credit for Achievements

Rabbi Weinberg offers another example. Imagine someone saying, “You won’t believe what I achieved today. I opened my mailbox and found a check for a million dollars from a distant relative who left me an inheritance. I cashed it and now I’m a millionaire. Aren’t I amazing?”

What exactly is he proud of? He did nothing to earn that money.

We do something similar when we claim ownership over our potential. Artists, surgeons, and musicians all use talents that God gave them to “cash in” on their careers. Without those abilities, they could accomplish nothing. Of course effort is required, but the raw materials and circumstances are gifts from God.

It is tempting to say, “Look what I accomplished,” Rabbi Weinberg admits. But that is like taking credit for cashing a check that was given to you. Instead, thank God for the opportunity.

3. “Wow, Where Did You Get That Car?”

The third area is perhaps the most subtle: pride in being morally good. A person might say, “Look how good I am. I always do the right thing.”

Rabbi Weinberg compares this to someone bragging, “I had an overwhelming urge to cut off my own nose. I stood there with a knife, but I resisted and threw it away. Aren’t I amazing?” Are you proud of that? You simply avoided harming yourself.

Likewise, when we boast about our goodness, we are often just refraining from self damage.

He tells the story of a spoiled student whose parents pay for an expensive university education. At first he wastes his time, but when promised a new car for achieving good grades, he studies hard and succeeds. Later, when someone asks where he got the car, he proudly answers, “As a reward for my academic achievements.”

The real reward was the education itself. The car was only an incentive.

Similarly, when we do good deeds, we are acting in ways that ultimately benefit us. Through the commandments, God gives us the ability, motivation, and reward. Our role is simply to use the strength He provides.

Keeping Achievements in Perspective

Rabbi Weinberg compares misplaced pride to a businessman who buys a run down property cheaply, invests a little money, and sells it for a large profit. He feels incredibly successful until he learns that the new owner sold the same property for millions. Suddenly his pride disappears.

When we feel proud of acts like charity, honoring parents, or learning Torah, we may be like that businessman. One day we may realize how much more we could have accomplished. Instead of pride, we might feel regret.

Enjoy your achievements, Rabbi Weinberg says, but do not become complacent. Always focus on what more you can accomplish.

Effort Versus Trust

Even though God is responsible for everything, the world was created so that we must still make an effort. We must work to earn a livelihood, while recognizing that God is the true Provider. Believing that hard work alone creates wealth is itself a form of believing in other powers.

How much effort should a person invest, and how much should they rely on God? This balance is called hishtadlut versus bitachon.

The level of effort differs from person to person, depending on one’s level of trust in God.

For mitzvot and good deeds, however, we should make unlimited effort. The Talmud teaches, “According to the effort is the reward.” Even if success seems impossible, it is always worth trying. God may perform a miracle.

Four Signs You Are Living the Commandment

Rabbi Weinberg concludes with several signs that help a person evaluate whether they are fulfilling the commandment “You shall have no other gods”:

1. You are humble.

2. You do not constantly struggle with ego.

3. You recognize that everything is a gift from God.

4. You understand that you possess no independent power of your own.

The ultimate purpose of life is to recognize that there is no power other than God and that all achievements come from His will. This is the essence of the commandment, and it is constant because we must continuously struggle against the inner inclination.