The Torah is monotheistic. This we know from the Rambam and Saadia Gaon.
And the Rambam spends the entire second volume of The Guide for the Perplexed showing this in detail.
Also we find the Rambam in Mishna Torah saying when one swears by heaven and earth it does not count as an oath because heaven and earth have no divinity in them.
And so we see that it is easy to seem to be keeping Torah and yet to be transgressing its major thesis--monotheism. For we see some people hold from some form of pantheism.
Not only that but sometimes people attribute powers to certain individuals
And we know from Tractate Avoda Zara page 41 the main thing which makes something considered an idol is the ability to save. So the Gemara says An idol worshiper nullifies his idol by saving, "If it could not save itself, how can it save me?"
See Rav Shach's Avi Ezri which is the source of my comment here.
And the Rambam spends the entire second volume of The Guide for the Perplexed showing this in detail.
Also we find the Rambam in Mishna Torah saying when one swears by heaven and earth it does not count as an oath because heaven and earth have no divinity in them.
And so we see that it is easy to seem to be keeping Torah and yet to be transgressing its major thesis--monotheism. For we see some people hold from some form of pantheism.
Not only that but sometimes people attribute powers to certain individuals
And we know from Tractate Avoda Zara page 41 the main thing which makes something considered an idol is the ability to save. So the Gemara says An idol worshiper nullifies his idol by saving, "If it could not save itself, how can it save me?"
See Rav Shach's Avi Ezri which is the source of my comment here.
