An unimaginable idea: When does God ignore idolatry by Jews?

While studying the Ohr HaChaim by Rabbi Hayyim ben Moshe ibn Attar on Parashat Ha'azinu, I came across an idea that astounded me. In the verse "The Lord alone guided him, no foreign god beside him" (Deuteronomy 32:12), R. Hayyim presents a midrash: "Rebbi says, peace is great, for even if Israel worships idols, if there is peace among them, the Almighty says, it is as though I have no control over them, as it says: Ephraim clings to idols, leave him (Hosea 4:17)."

Rabbi Hayyim incorporates this perspective into the Ha'azinu verse, suggesting a unique translation: "When the nation is united, God will forgive it; (when the nation is unified) God does not even consider idolatry in their midst." How astonishing is this? All prophets, from Moses to Malachi, condemn idolatry, which is one of the three cardinal sins for which a person must risk their life to avoid.

Yet, God would overlook idolatry if the Jews were united. This midrash suggests that if the Jewish nation is united, God would even overlook its idolatrous behavior! The Jewish people ponder numerous crucial matters, which are all important: judicial reforms, the two-state solution, settlement in Judea and Samaria, sovereignty over greater Israel, exemptions from the draft for Torah study, and the doctrine of purity of arms.

These are all topics over which rational individuals can passionately argue. Nonetheless, Rabbi Hayyim urges us to remain united as a nation, to be a people that does not block roads, engage in vandalism, or delegitimize fellow Jews. Our challenge is to follow God's lead, just as He is one, and we too must be united. In an ideal world, the Jewish people would be united in following the covenant between God and Israel. But now, we may need to strive for unity for our survival in a hostile world.