Idolatry in Judaism - Modern Jewish Views

Modern Jewish Views

Many Jewish thinkers generally agree that the spirit of idolatry has diminished, and that "real" idolatry is not commonly found.

Several have expressed the view that any beliefs or practices which significantly interferes with a Jew's relationship with God may, in some way, be termed "idolatry". Examples might include:

• A very strong desire to gain money and wealth; greed could be considered a form of idolatry.
• A very strong desire to gain fame or recognition; egocentrism could be considered a form of idolatry (a view expressed by the Vilna Gaon).

Some theologically moderated Jews argue that most modern-day religions which appear idolatrous should not be considered idolatry as defined by Jewish law. They argue that modern day Buddhists, Hindus and others:

• Do not literally worship "sticks and stones", as the idolaters in the Tanakh were described doing.
• Their beliefs have more theological depth than ancient pagans, and they are well aware that their icons are only symbols of a deeper level of reality.
• They do not practice child sacrifice, or sex rites, as did some pagans in the ancient near-east.
• They are of high moral character
• They are not anti-Semitic.

As such, some Jews argue that not only does God have a relationship with all gentile monotheists, but that God also maintains a relationship with Hindus, Buddhists and polytheists. Some notable figures with these views include Elliot N. Dorff, Michael Strassfeld and David Novak. However, Orthodox Judaism is in stark contrast to their views.

There are a few people who practice Judeo-Paganism, which is a mixture of Jewish and polytheistic/pagan practices. Some of those practices involve honoring (or remembering) divinities that were among those rejected by the prophets of the Tanakh (for example, Ba'al and Asherah). These practices are seen as non-Jewish by all the Jewish denominations.