Shelach 15:22 · unit 2 — harder than all other sins

Parashas Shelach · Aliyah 6 · Passuk 22

The Complete Passuk

וְכִ֣י תִשְׁגּ֔וּ וְלֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֥ת כׇּל־הַמִּצְוֺ֖ת הָאֵ֑לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

And when you err and do not do all these commandments…

Chabad.org — 15:22

Source Citation

Torah Temimah: idolatry is harder than all other transgressions in the Torah.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא: מִנַּיִן לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁקָּשָׁה מִכׇּל הָעֲבֵירוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כׇּל הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה״.

English: It is taught: From where that idolatry is harder than all the transgressions in the Torah? As it is said: “And when you err and do not do all these commandments.”

Type of Learning

Severity ranking of idolatry.

What Is Learned

One who affirms idolatry denies the whole Torah and the prophets; therefore it is singled out as equal to all.