154) “Put away the foreign gods.” These are what they took from Shechem, jewels of silver and gold that their foreign gods were engraved on. They were building other gods from silver and gold, and not Jewels with idols carved on them. And Jacob hid them there so they will not enjoy the idol worship, for man is forever prohibited to enjoy it.
155) It is written, “And he took the crown of their king from his head… and it was placed on David’s head.” The children of Amon put their abomination as their king, as it is written, “the crown of their king.” What is the reason that “it was set on David's head”? And what is the reason for referring to it as abomination, since it refers to the rest of the idol worshipping nations as “gods of the nations,” “other gods,” “foreign god,” “another god,” but with their king it says “abomination.”
156) All the gods of the peoples are idol worshippers, this is what the Creator calls them, as it is written, “and ye have seen their detestable things, and their idols,” and not necessarily “kings.” When the text writes, “And he took the crown of their king,” and the idol worship is their king, how was David crowned in her? It is certain that she was idol worship. However, while Ittai the Gittite was an idol worshipper before he converted, he broke from the crown, the idol worship—their king—the shape that was engraved on them and canceled it. By that, he made it permitted, so it would be permitted to enjoy it. This is why David put it on his head.
An idol worshipper has the strength to revoke his own idol worship, and then it is permitted for Israel to enjoy. However, if he flaws and disqualifies the idol worship he had done before, after he had converted, he does not permit it for enjoyment, since then he is considered Israel. for this reason, The Zohar says that Ittai the Gittite cancelled her before he converted, and was no longer considered idol worshipper. This is why it was permitted for David to put it on his head.
The abomination of the children of Amon was a serpent, carved in a deep engraving on that crown; this is why it was called “Abomination,” meaning filth.
157) “Put away the strange gods…” these are other women, who were taken captive, and who brought all their ornaments with them. It is written about that, “And they gave unto Jacob all the foreign gods,” which are the women and all their ornaments, and all the gods of gold and silver, “and Jacob hid them,” meaning the gold and the silver, so they will not enjoy any idol worship.
158) Jacob was a whole man in every way, and he cleaved unto the Creator. It is written, “let us arise, and go up to Beth-el.” It immediately writes, “And they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods.” This means that one should praise the Creator and thank Him for the miracles and the goodness He has done with him, as it is written, “and was with me in the way which I went.”
159) First, it writes “let us arise, and go up to Beth-el,” in plural tense, including his sons with him. Afterwards, it writes, “and I will make there an altar,” in singular tense, and does not say, “we.” This excludes them from this rule because it only applied to him. Jacob certainly corrected the evening prayer, which is the correction of the Nukva. And he made the altar, which is the correction of the Nukva, and it was for him to do, not for his sons. And because he suffered all those troubles since the day he had escaped his brother, as it is written, “and was with me in the way which I went,” they came to the world later, once he was rid of these troubles. This is why he did not bring them with him to the correction of the altar, but said, “I will make there an altar.”
160) This means that one who had a miracle should give thanks. One who eats bread on the table should bless, and not one who did not eat a thing. This is why Jacob said, “I will make there an altar,” and did not say, “we.”