“Raba Bar Rav Yitzhak said to Rav Yehuda, ‘There is idol-worship in our place, and whenever the world is in need of rain, they appear to them in a dream, telling them, ‘Slay me a man and I will send rain.’’ They slayed a man for her and she sent rain.
“He replied, ‘Now if I were dead, no one would tell you the words that Rav said, why it is written ‘which the Lord your God has Halak [divided/smoothed] to all the nations,’’ meaning that He Hechelik [made smooth] their words to banish them from the world. This is as Rish Lakish said, ‘Why is it written, ‘If He scorns the scorners and gives grace to the humble,’ he who comes to defile, it is opened to him; He who comes to purify is aided’?” (Avoda Zarah 55a).
To understand the above-said, we should interpret that idol-worship means one who does not serve the Creator but himself. This is regarded as performing idol-worship.
Idol-worship, meaning the idea that it is not worthwhile to work if not for one’s own sake, exists in our place. This is why he says, “There is idol-worship in our place, and whenever the world is in need of rain,” meaning when people need to enjoy their lives, they engage in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], which causes them to abstain from several pleasures.
“They appear to them in a dream,” meaning that this spirit, called “will to receive for oneself,” appears to them when they are dreaming, meaning during the fall, when only a “pocket of vitality” remains of their spirituality, as it is written, “We were as dreamers.” At that time, that spirit, which is idol-worship, has strength and it tells them, “Slay me a man and I will send rain.”