LEAD TIDBIT:
Don’t do this to G-d...
The sedra begins by another presentation of “The Deal”: Blessing or the opposite, our choice. Keep the Mitzvot, blessing. Turn your back to G-d, curse. Then we have G-d’s “recommendation” about the Deal – be careful to do all the Mitzvot.

Then the Torah commands that when we enter and conquer Eretz Yisrael, we must utterly destroy the many forms of idolatry that we will find there (here). The mitzva is contained in p’sukim 12:2,3 with unusually long detail as to the extent of our obligation to eradicate all forms of idolatry.

And then the Torah takes a breath, so to speak, and almost softly, in contrast to the two previous p’sukim, states: Thou shalt not do the same to HaShem, your G-d. This prohibition has several layers of detail. First and foremost, we might say, one is forbidden to destroy a stone of the Mizbei’ach or the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash, nor anything that has been consecrated to the Beit HaMikdash. We’ll get back to this aspect of the mitzva momentarily.

We are also taught that this Torah law includes the prohibition of erasing one of G-d’s “seven holy names”. This facet of the prohibition stands in contrast to V’IBADTEM ET SH’MAM, and you shall wipe out their names (those of Avoda Zara)...

These two forms of the prohibition seem very different from each other, but are both considered to be part of the same LAV (prohibition) because of the different phrases that make up the previous command, as mentioned above.

Rashi defines the prohibhition as not burning incense to G-d anyplace other than in the Beit HaMikdash. This too is included in not doing to G-d what is done to other gods. Then Rashi mentions the other two aspects of the prohibition, as above.

And then Rashi adds something in the name of Rabbi Yishmael, which is the real point of this Lead Tidbit. “Would it enter your mind that a Jew would destroy a stone from the Beit HaMik- dash?! (It sounds like R’ Yishmael says, NO WAY!) But rather, says R’ Yishmael, the prohibition of LO TAASUN KEIN is to avoid all types of behavior that caused the Beit HaMikdash - first and second - to be destroyed. If the Gemara tells us that it was senseless hatred between Jews that caused the destruction of the Mikdash, then it follows that one who has groundless, improper feelings of hatred for others is “destroying the Beit HaMikdash”, and is violating LO TAASUN KEIN. Sure you wouldn’t put a torch to the Beit HaMikdash, says R’ Yishma’el, but what do you think speaking Lashon HaRa is? It is destroying the Beit HaMikdash and preventing its rebuilding. No, you didn’t actually knock down the walls of the Mikdash, but you caused them to be knocked down.

It is a very powerful idea that R’ Yishmael is expressing. It is analogous to the prohibition of “striking one’s parents”. Most people would never ever physically strike their parents. But what about behaving in such a way that the parent feels as if they’ve been slapped hard across the face... or worse. Is not the child “guilty” of (the spirit) of bition?

Rashi gives us three different aspects of the prohibition of LO TAASUN KEIN, and then he gives us a powerful MUSSAR message from R’ Yishma’el. May we, by our proper behavior and attitudes, build the Mikdash, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU AMEN