יחזקאל, פרק ח׳, פסוק ט״ו

The prophetic vision reaches a critical turning point, shifting toward the absolute peak of corruption and idol worship within the Temple. The prophet is challenged to consider whether he has truly paid close attention to the disturbing sights already placed before him [מצודת דוד]. He is then warned that the horrors are about to escalate. While the previous visions of sin were roughly equal in their severity, the upcoming revelations represent a step into the most severe offenses yet, far surpassing anything he has witnessed so far [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

These escalating abominations represent a complete abandonment of God and a deliberate reversal of His original intent. By design, God commanded that the entrance to the Temple face east, while the Holy of Holies was situated in the west. This layout served a specific purpose: to directly counter the practices of sun worshipers, who traditionally bowed toward the east. When a person entered the Temple, their back was naturally turned to the sun, helping to erase foreign beliefs from their heart. However, the sinners did the exact opposite. They turned their backs on God's sanctuary and faced east to worship the sun, entirely undoing the Commandment and its protective purpose [מלבי״ם, רד״ק].

The severity of this act goes beyond a mere spiritual turning away; it involves a profound physical degradation of the holy site. According to the sages, turning their backs to the sanctuary was not simply a matter of standing in the opposite direction. It included acts of physical exposure and blatant disrespect directed downward toward the Temple ground [רד״ק]. Furthermore, the sun worship they engaged in was not limited to bowing. It carried with it a deep moral decay, involving the worship of Peor and acts of prostitution [מלבי״ם].