יחזקאל, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״ד

A vision transports the prophet into the most sacred compound of the Temple, revealing a deeply troubling scene of desecration. Right inside God's sanctuary, women are gathered to perform a foreign ritual. They stand within the inner courtyard, near the northern entrance of the sanctuary or by one of the small surrounding chambers [רש"י, רד"ק, מצודת דוד]. This specific northern location carries an ominous warning, signaling that disaster and destruction will soon descend upon the people from the north at the hands of the Babylonians [רד"ק, אברבנאל].

The women are engaged in bitter weeping and mourning [מצודת ציון, רד"ק]. However, this description of grief might actually serve as a euphemism, masking what is in reality a joyous celebration around an idol [רד"ק]. The focus of their ritual, known as Tammuz, is understood by commentators in several striking ways. One approach links the name to an Aramaic root meaning heating or burning [רש"י, מצודת ציון]. According to this view, the object of their worship is a hollow idol heated by a fire kindled inside it. The idol is crafted with eyes made of lead, which melt from the intense heat, making the statue appear to weep. Seeing these metallic tears, the women declare that the idol is demanding sacrifices [רש"י, מצודת דוד]. Others interpret this connection to fire in a much darker light, explaining that the women are actually weeping for their own children, who were sacrificed and burned alive as part of the worship of Molech [רד"ק, מלבי"ם, אברבנאל].

A completely different perspective identifies Tammuz as a historical or mythological figure. Ancient tradition tells of a false prophet named Tammuz who commanded people to worship the stars and was eventually executed in a bizarre manner. Legend has it that on the night he died, idols from all over the world gathered in Babylon to eulogize him, sparking a yearly ritual where people would weep for him on the first day of the month of Tammuz [רד"ק, מלבי"ם ואברבנאל בשם הרמב"ם]. This practice reflects a common Babylonian belief in a deity who dies and comes back to life, prompting women to first mourn his death and then celebrate his resurrection [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, Tammuz may simply have been the name of a specific animal whose image was worshipped [רד"ק, אברבנאל].

Finally, another unique approach shifts the focus from a physical idol to the concept of time and fate. In this view, Tammuz refers to the month itself. Because terrible disasters, including the breaching of the city walls, historically occurred during the month of Tammuz, the women attribute their troubles to the bad luck of the month rather than repenting for their sins. They engage in this superstitious ritual hoping that their idol worship will somehow cancel the harsh decrees and save Jerusalem from the approaching enemy [חומת אנך, אברבנאל].