תהלים, פרק ק״ו, פסוק ל״ו

The absolute low point in the actions of the Israelites was their tragic descent into idolatry [רד״ק]. They devoted themselves to the worship of false gods [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The terminology used to describe these idols conveys deep disgrace and shame [אבן עזרא]. Rooted in the concept of sadness, the description captures the painful reality of idolatry: false gods ultimately break the hearts of those who serve them, as the worshippers cry out in desperate need but are met with absolute silence [מצודת ציון].

This betrayal of faith quickly transformed into a devastating trap. There are different perspectives on the exact nature of this obstacle. Some suggest that the idols themselves became the direct cause of the Israelites' downfall [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others propose that the trap actually refers to the surrounding foreign nations. These neighboring groups actively lured the Israelites away, enticing them to abandon their beliefs and join in their idol worship [מצודת דוד].

This spiritual failure triggered a highly destructive cycle. As the Israelites began to experience hardship and realized their new practices were leading to ruin, they looked at the foreign nations worshipping the exact same idols. Seeing that these nations were not suffering similar harm, the Israelites made a disastrous miscalculation. They mistakenly concluded that the foreign nations were thriving simply because they were more devoted to their false gods. Driven by this flawed reasoning, the Israelites plunged even deeper into idolatry, desperately multiplying their worship in a vain attempt to achieve the same success [אלשיך].