How Rashi and the Netziv Read "Which I have Not Commanded"

This week's Parsha, Shoftiim, contains a very peculiar verse. It says (Devarim 17:3):

ג. וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיַּעֲבֹד אֱ־לֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לָהֶם וְלַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אוֹ לַיָּרֵחַ אוֹ לְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוִּיתִי:

3. and who will go and worship other gods and prostrate himself before them, or to the sun, the moon, or any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded;

Rashi explains this verse in a very strange way. He says

אשר לא צויתי: לעבדם:
which I have not commanded: to worship them. — [Meg. 9b]

The question here is, what the is this verse saying according to Rashi? Apparently, according to Rashi's explanation this verse is telling us that the reason people are not supposed to worship other gods, the sun, moon and the stars is because G-D did not command us to worship them. This seems odd because in many places throughout the Torah G-D says explicitly that we are forbidden to worship anything but Him. Why does the verse tell us the reason is because G-D did not command us when the clear reason is that G-D commanded us NOT to worship anything but Him?

Rav Moshe Feinstein anticipated this question. He had the same exact problem as I did with this verse according to Rashi. He says (In Darash Moshe) that this verse is coming to tell us that even those that erroneously think that G-D wants us to serve His most important creations (like the sun, the moon, and the ANGELS) are still transgressing the commandment of not to worship idols. For, one might think that since these people believe they are doing the will of G-D their transgression is not to be considered idol worship. This verse comes to tell us that since G-D did not command them to worship the sun, moon or angels, it IS considered idol worship. 

Rav Moshe's idea strikes a cord with me for the following reason: No one can assume to KNOW what G-D wants us to do. The only way we can absolutely know that G-D wants us to do something is if He tells us Himself or through a certified prophet. In fact, anyone claiming to be doing the will of G-D while they transgress one of His commandments is nothing but a common sinner. This can be seen in those who beat women, cause damage to property and those that perform, en mass, Chilul Hashem's (Desecrations of the Name). These people believe they are doing the will of G-D just like the crusaders or Jihadists believe they are performing the will of the one true G-D. Unfortunately for them, they are nothing more than common sinners and have nothing positive (in terms of G-D's favor) coming their way.

However, it is important to note that Rashi's reading is not the only way to understand this verse. The Netziv says:

Clearly, the Netziv did not read this verse like Rashi since he says, "And to the sun and to the moon: To be rulers in the universe. Or to all the hosts of the heavens that I did not command: to be rulers over the land."

Rashi's verse seems to be saying that the reason one can not worship other gods, the sun, the moon and the stars is because G-D never commanded the Jewish people to worship them. That understanding is explained according to Rav Moshe earlier in this post. However, the Netziv explains the verse in the following manner: "And who will go and worship other gods and prostrate himself before them, or to the sun, the moon, or any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded;" It means, according to the Netziv, that one is not allowed to worship other gods that this Jew thinks are on the level of G-D. Nor can a Jew worship the sun or the moon even though the idol worshiper thinks G-D is greater than the moon and the stars, but the Sun and the moon are the most important creations in this world since they have dominion over the world. Nor can this Jew worship the hosts of the heavens that are not as great as G-D, the sun or the moon since they do not even have domain over the land, let alone the universe. 

In essence, the Netziv breaks down the verse to be talking about the different types of idol worship. People worshiped beings they thought were as great as G-D. People worshiped beings they thought were great because G-D gave them greatness. Finally, people worshiped objects even though they had no real greatness. According to the Netziv, there is no special explanation needed (like Rav Moshe is needed for Rashi), the verse merely talks about three different kinds of idol worshipers that are to be punished.

The difference between Rashi and the Netziv's understanding is huge. Rashi is saying that G-D does not have to command someone not to do something, it is implicitly prohibited if it relates to a prohibited act. The Netziv might be telling us that only that which is explicitly prohibited can actually be made forbidden and punished. Perhaps the case that is different between them is the case of Rav Moshe. According to Rashi, if people think they are doing the will of G-D, they can still be doing something very wrong, in fact, Rav Moshe even says they get the death penalty in this case. However, maybe the Netziv would say that these people are not doing the right thing, but they can't be punished for doing what they think is the will of G-D.  

UPDATE:

See Rabbi Josh Waxman's excellent post relating to this post here.