Devarim 12:4

4 Ye shall not do so unto Hashem Eloheichem.

Devarim 12:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:4

Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God.
] Not sacrifice to him on hills and mountains, and under green trees; though the Jews commonly refer this to the destruction of the names of God, and of any thing appertaining to the temple; that though the temples and the altars of the Heathens were to be overthrown, yet not a stone was to be taken from the house of God, or that belonged to it, nor any of his names to be blotted out; so the Targum of Jonathan and Maimonides ^F26, who also observes ^F1, that whoever removes a stone by way of destruction from the altar, or from the temple, or from the court, is to be beaten; so he that burns the holy wood.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Yesode Hattorah, c. 6. sect. 7, 9.
F1 Ibid. sect. 8.

Devarim 12:4 In-Context

2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the Goyim which ye shall possess served their elohim, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree;

3 And ye shall overthrow their mizbechot, and break their matzeivot, and burn their Asherim with eish; and ye shall hew down peselim of their elohim, and destroy the names of them out of that place.

4 Ye shall not do so unto Hashem Eloheichem.

5 But unto the place which Hashem Eloheichem shall choose out of all your shevatim to put Shmo there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

6 And thither ye shall bring your olot, and your zevakhim, and your ma’aseros (tithes), and terumot (heave offerings) of your hand, and your nedarim (vows), and your nedavot (freewill offerings), and the bekhorot (firstlings) of your herds and of your flocks;