The second of the Ten Commandments reads “You shall not have other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3). Several verses later, the Torah commands “You shall not make images, with Me, of gods of silver and gods of gold.” (Exodus 20:20)

Why the double warning?

The Sforno (20:20) explains that, before the second warning, G-d instructed Moses to tell the Jewish people, “You have seen that from the heavens I have spoken to you.” (20:19). G-d then warned the Jewish nation that, just as you have seen Me with all my glory, come down from heaven and speak to everyone, so too it is unnecessary to have any intermediary between us.

According to the Sforno, the second warning against creating images includes creating intermediaries between us and G-d. Just as G-d spoke directly to each Jew at Mount Sinai, so does each Jew have a direct relationship with G-d today. Not only is an intermediary unnecessary, it is forbidden to create one.

At Mount Sinai, G-d gave the Torah and established a relationship with each Jew. It is that direct connection to G-d, that special relationship, that allows us to ask for sustenance, forgiveness, and strength from “our Father, our King”.

Emunah and Bitachon in HaShem involves not just knowing that G-d is the only source of sustenance but also that each individual has a personal relationship with Him. Emunah and Bitachon in HaShem are rooted in our shared experience at Mount Sinai.

The Chovos Halevavos (Duties of the Heart) in the Gate of Bitachon, Chapter 3, describes five essential prerequisites for reaching complete Bitachon in HaShem. As part of the first prerequisite, the Chovos Halevavos explains, a person has to realize that it is not in the hands of others to either help or hurt a person without permission from G-d. If a person believes there are other forces or intermediaries able to benefit an individual it would be impossible to establish a proper relationship with G-d; no one could fully develop a relationship with G-d while reasoning that there are other means to obtain what he needs.

As part of the Mitzvah of Bikurim, bringing of the First Fruits, each Jew has to make a proclamation that it was only because G-d had taken us out of Egyptian bondage and brought us to this land flowing with milk and honey that we are successful and have sustenance. 

The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 606) comments that, after praising G-d for saving and sustaining us, the individual would pray for continuing success. The proclamation and prayer are connected. Only after recognizing that everything comes directly from HaShem and that each Jew has a special relationship with G-d, just as his forebears had at Mount Sinai, only then do we ask “our Father, our King” for continued success.

By delving into the words of the Sforno, we can better appreciate our special connection to HaShem. G-d wants us to speak directly to Him, just as He spoke directly to each of us at Mount Sinai.

G-d has forbidden all intermediaries because He wants nothing to separate Himself and the Children of Israel.

Imagine the extent of G-d’s love for each of us; that He desires to hear our prayers directly from every Jew. Imagine the sanctity of each person’s relationship with

G-d that nothing is allowed to come between him and HaShem. Imagine the holiness of a Jew’s prayer. Our bond with G-d at Mount Sinai has survived the generations and exists today within each of us.

Through all our hardships and uncertainties, when we pray to G-d, we can focus and truly appreciate that our “Avinu Shebashomayim”, our Father in Heaven, directly cares for each of us.

Shabbat Shalom.

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