ישעיהו, פרק מ״ד, פסוק ט״ו

The full absurdity of idolatry is exposed when looking at the origin of a carved image. The exact same wood meant to provide a person's most basic, physical needs is simultaneously used to create a god. At the beginning of the process, a person uses the wood to kindle a fire [אבן עזרא ומצודת ציון]. The leftover pieces and wood chips carved away while shaping the idol are simply used for ordinary, everyday purposes [רש י ורד״ק]. A person takes this wood to warm himself [רד ק ומצודת ציון], and then he lights an oven with rising flames to bake his bread [שד ל ומצודת ציון].

From the exact remainder of that very same tree, the person crafts an idol. This reality serves as a crushing logical argument against the belief that the wood possesses any inherent holiness or was cut during a moment of spiritual power. If the tree were truly holy, it makes no sense that one half would be set aside for sacred worship while the other half is burned and treated with disrespect. The irony deepens because the disrespected, burned half actually provides the person with the tangible benefits of warmth and food, while the worshiped half provides no benefit at all [אברבנאל].

The act of worship is described in two distinct ways to address different approaches to idolatry [מלבי״ם]. The first approach targets those who believe the statue itself is a god. This belief is reflected in the deep mental and spiritual investment required to create the idol, followed by profound acts of respect directed at the object itself. The second approach speaks to those who view the statue merely as a physical representation of a higher spiritual power. In this case, the focus is solely on the physical completion of the work, accompanied by a lesser form of bowing that is meant only to secure practical benefits [אבן עזרא, שד ל ומצודת ציון].

Although the focus is on a single statue, the conclusion of the thought shifts to a plural form when describing the worship. This plural usage either refers to idols in a general sense [רד ק ומצודת דוד], or it is applied as a formal expression of respect, similar to the plural form often used when referring to God [שד״ל].