[Avodah] The Talmud’s Many Demons

[Lisa Liel]

On 8/14/2012 3:37 PM, Rafi Hecht wrote:
> 5. Chanoch (Enos) was taken away relatively early (he died at 205 when 
> everyone was living beyond 900 years of age). One of the reasons was 
> because he inadvertently introduced idolatry/witchcraft by teaching 
> that if one worships an agent of Gd (such as the sun, a tree, etc.) 
> with the intent on focusing on the objects' creator than it's as if 
> one worships Gd. People soon forgot the "intent" bit and worshipped 
> the objects as entities in and of their own. 

Chanoch is generally transliterated as Enoch.  Enosh is transliterated 
sometimes as Enos.  Two different guys, and you're conflating them.  
Chanoch was the one who lived a shorter time, and the mefarshim say he 
was taken early because of how *good* he was.  Not for introducing 
avodah zarah.

And even Enosh had nothing to do with it.  The Rambam says that this 
mistake occurred in the days of Enosh (Adam's grandson).  Not that he 
did it himself.  What a mishmash.

Lisa